Libido - killing some dead time - `97 - fire/velvel records

ok kids ; here is another lost gem from over 10 yrs ago !
still sounds fresh to me : norweigen power pop at its best.
i even included a couple bonus trax from cd singles. annies song [ john denver cover ! ] & a crazy song called "inner beauty is a lame comfort when you`re fuck bored - television divine" , lol -- noisy little track , but try & stay tuned to `till the last part , telelevision divine ! - sweet !
this singer can really wail , wow. tons of melodic hooks & smashin` guitars.
turn it up loud & proud please.
fave trax - supersonic drug , overthrown , magic mushroom night ! , annies song

Libido - killing some dead time - `97 - fire/velvel records - MP3 @ 320kbps


1. Overthrown
2. Supersonic Daydream
3. Strange News
4. Crash Out
5. In My Shadow
6. Blow
7. Remarkably Abnormal (Good Intentions)
8. Revolving
9. Molest Me
10. Comfort
11. God's Guest List
12. Magic Mushroom Night
+
13.inner beauty is a lame comfort when you`re fuck bored - television divine
14.annies song



[ Alex Steininger - in music we trust ]

Hailing from Norway, Libido is Even Johansen on vocals and guitar, Cato Eikeland on bass, and Jorgen Landhuag on drums. Playing pop-rock, sometimes emphasizing the rock and sometimes the pop, they churn out some very catchy moments on their debut release, KILLING SOME DEAD TIME.

"Overthrown" grabs you right from the beginning, creating hooks and a great beat within the first eight seconds. Soon the vocals come in and the song takes on a whole new life, while still recognizing the old one. The vocals are clear, smooth, and add nice flavor to the music. The lyrics, dealing with the ever-so-popular men/women relationship, are brought out by the vocals, which make every word ring in your head and sound interesting each time. The drums and the bass work together nicely, giving the song depth and character. When the chorus comes in, you'll be drawn even closer to the song and feel even more love for it. Getting the listeners attention from the beginning is hard to due, but keeping it throughout is even a harder task. With "Supersonic Daydream" they manage to keep the listener happy with another pop-rock number. The verses are decent, sometimes losing the interest of the listener, but when the "supersonic" intoxication of the chorus hits, you'll know why you keep listening. The vocals turn the pitch up a bit, while the band spills out hooks, and together magic happens. "Crash Out" mixes slow verses with a bit more rock-based chorus. The verses are slow and enchanting, possessing a dreamy quality to them, but with the dreamy quality comes sleepiness and boredom. While listening to it, I found myself easily distracted and I was paying attention to other things, but when the chorus hit my attention once again focused back on the song. After a few trips down the same road, the song now has my full attention each time I listen to it. "Revolving" takes a minute for the vocals to come in, as well as for the song to really start. Another song where they create a slow verse and then build on their rock parts during the chorus. But this time they end the song with an emphasis on the rock, which is really nice, and kept me interested in the number. Ending with "Magic Mushroom Night," they close the CD out another dreamy pop number, very 'Brit-pop,' and a nice way to finish.

Libido can write good pop-rock numbers. It's nice to see them taking sides once in a while, as well, because it helps bring out certain parts of the song more. The contrast is also nice, and to hear them focus on pop for a bit and then turn around and do the same for rock creates a feeling of never knowing what to expect, which helps keep the music lively and entertaining. They are best when they focus on the rock side, but when their pop side is pouring out of the speakers no one will think any less of them. A good, solid band who will definitely be making their impact felt on modern rock radio in the near future. I'll give this album a B+.


download -- here --

Binocular - 2001 - maverick

hey all :

ok , here is some pure pop for ya. the production could not be any slicker on this , pure genius.
this one fell through the cracks to no surprise. industry sucks , this came out in the midst of boy bands & the like. too bad. pretty damn discouraging for indie musicians & the like - if something this great can be left behind , how many other great artist are not getting the recognition they deserve ? i think its just a shame , that why i am here ...:)

this came out on madonnas maverick label with a fair amount of hype.
still , have you heard of it ?
i digress , dont get me started ! just download the damn thing , turn it up & wonder why talent like this isnt universally known !


***************


- dave ben - amazon

I first heard of Binocular from the show Smallville. The song "You" was played during the first season. The song has a great 80s feel with a nice guitar solo at the end. I wanted to find out everything I could about this guy, but there really isn't too much information about him. The story is out there about how he was a guitar prodigy and how he made the album, but not much else. Actually finding the CD was very difficult. I had to download some of the songs from a P2P network before I found a copy in a local CD shop.
The album is an amazing journey from the first track to the last. There are no throwaway tracks here. I won't go into each specific song, but my personal faves are "You", "Everything Turns Around" and "Wait Until" although you can't really go wrong with any of them.
Musically, the album goes down easy like sugar. He makes good use of echoes, synthesizers, guitars, and even his own background vocals. He did everything on the album. The lyrics have a simple almost adolescent quality about them. But that's not to say he's lyrically challenged like Avril or some other teenage lyricists out there. His lyrics are simple sounding, nothing particularly poetic, but soothing all the same. And they even tell the story of how the album was made - all the struggle and sacrifice.
I give Binocular my highest recommendation. I've played the CD to many of my friends and they have all loved it. They tried to get the CD as well, but are currently unsuccessful. So they've copied mine. If you can get your hands one on, consider yourself lucky. I don't think the album did too well, although I'm not sure why. The album was never promoted in the least way on radio or anything. The song "You" would have been a hit, I'm sure. All of the songs are so friendly to the ears. I feel almost guilty listening to them, as if I'm secretly listening to pop music. Anyway, I pray that he makes another album because if he does, I'll buy ten copies and give the rest to my friends. He's an artist who definitely deserves his due.

*********

aka`

Binocular - 2001 - maverick - MP3 @ 320 kbps


1. You
2. Never
3. Everything Turns
4. Deep
5. You Were The One
6. Gone Away
7. Don't Say Goodbye, Say Goodnight
8. Fire Burns Bright
9. Let Me Fly So Long
10. Wait Until
11. As The End Of The World
12. Paradise Dub




DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

School of Fish - Human Cannonball - `93

someone flooded my comment fields with a request for this cd. i figured despite his overzealousness , i would share it anyway , lol.
it is a great cd , by a band that only made two.
the lead singer has since passed , RIP. i have all his solo cds i might be persuaded to add here as well sometime !?

this came out during the initial onset of the grunge era. but i dont think its that grungy.
in fact , i think its better than all that shite that came out at that time save for jellyfish , which no one knows about anywhoo....but came out same year as this.


this one really grows on ya ! fave trax :

"Take Me Anywhere", "1/2 a Believer", "Stand in the Doorway", and "Kerosene"

turn it up !!


aka`



School of Fish - Human Cannonball - `93 - MP3 @ 320 kbps - 110 MB

1. Complicator

2. Take Me Anywhere

3. 1/2 a Believer

4. Fountain

5. Fuzzed and Fading

6. Blackout

7. Everyword

8. Jump off the World

9. Drop of Water

10. Drag

11. Stand in the Doorway

12. Kerosene

DOWNLOAD -- here --

& -- here -- [ thanks ]

Babylon Zoo - the boy with the x-ray eyes - `96

space rock at its best ! came out in `96 this is the dreamchild of jas mann.
he wrote , recorded & played most everything on here.
one of my fave obscure cds ever !
lots of layered sounds , keys , & heavy guitars.


****

The trip-hoppy euro-pop of St. Etienne also comes to mind as one component of this fascinating, kitchen-sink acquired-taste hybrid out of Wolverhampton, England. Add unique lead distortion achieved by plugging a cheap, second-hand guitar and amp straight into the mixing desk, and a variety of vocal and instrumental sound effects that create a cross between Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crimson and Clover" and low-budget, sci-fi horror flick special effects, and you have some insight into the mind of 24 year old part Asian/part Native American vocalist/writer/producer Jas Mann.

A dash of rave, a sprinkle of Sisters of Mercy-like Goth, an undercurrent of Bowiesque Glam, and through this sonic jam soars the yearning, child-simple siren melodies of "Zodiac Sign" and the title track. An electro-pop cornucopia, done on the cheap and with a knowing wink, Babylon Zoo is a magpie speaking in tongues while deftly decorating its nest with glittering, borrowed baubles.

Babylon Zoo - the boy with the x-ray eyes -`96 - MP3 @ 320 kbps

1. Animal Army
2. Spaceman
3. Zodiac Sign
4. Paris Green
5. Confused Art
6. Caffeine
7. The Boy With The X-Ray Eyes
8. Don't Feed The Animals
9. Fire Guided Light
10. Is Your Soul For Sale?
11. I'm Cracking Up I Need A Pill

download --->-- here --

Chroma Key - [ Kevin Moore ] Dead Air For Radios

well , my PC & stereo are still divorced , so here are some killer , obscure cds for yall. this 1st one is the debut cd by legendary dream theater key player , kevin moore.
he played on the 1st two DT cds.[ images & awake ] this is nothing like that tho. more floydian & ambient..lots of piano & samples , textures. this one will really grow on ya !

***

[amg]
Onetime Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore left that band after three albums to pursue his own project, Chroma Key. Stripping away the metallic elements of Dream Theater's sound, Chroma Key is more influenced by '70s prog-rock and early-'80s synth-pop, particularly the most ethereal, ambient-flavored components of each -- artists like Brian Eno, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, and Talk Talk's Mark Hollis. The first Chroma Key project was recorded with Fates Warning rhythm section Joey Vera (bass) and Mark Zonder (drums), as well as guitarist Jason Anderson; titled Dead Air for Radios, it was released in 1998 in Europe and the following year in the U.S. on Fight Evil Records.


Chroma Key - dead air for radios - `98 - MP3 @ 320 kbps

1. "Colorblind" - 4:51
2. "Even the Waves" - 6:33
3. "Undertow" - 4:49
4. "America the Video" - 4:29
5. "S.O.S." - 5:24
6. "Camera 4" - 3:49
7. "On the Page" - 4:21
8. "Mouse (Now Watch What Happens)" - 5:10
9. "Hell Mary" - 4:02

DOWNLOAD - -- here --

New England --- `78 Demo`s

this is a request. just goes to show you how crucial money, production & mastering is on a finalized "album". if you A / B this demo cd with thier debut , its amazing how well paul & co. did on it !
oh & candy , i will be there & even when i`m away are all ones you havent heard ! enjoy ~ aka


new england `78 demos -
MP3 @ 320 kbps
includes high rez art

• 1 - Alone Tonight
• 2 - Nothing To Fear
• 3 - Candy
• 4 - I Will Be There
• 5 - Shoot
• 6 - Don't Ever Wanna Lose Ya
• 7 - Hello Hello Hello
• 8 - Even When I'm Away
• 9 - Searchin'
• 10 - Turn Out The Light

[ re-upped ! ]download -- here --

hamilton streetcar - `69 - DOT records

ok , i finally got the "hamilton streetcar" LP sounding nice. so here ya go. this one is out there.
lots of strings , harmonies , great songwriting & trippy interludes.
this one will create many ear worms.
anjoy !

aka

[ badcat records ]
We've listened to this set at least twenty times and can't decide whether it's a great slice of late-'60s psych, or an over-hyped piece of MOR sludge ... Sound like a strange contradiction? It is.

The Los Angeles-based Hamilton Streetcar were apparently a studio project built around the talents of ex-Appletree Theater mastermind/vocalist John Boylan, singer/guitarist Buzz Clifford (who'd enjoyed an early '60s hit with "Baby Sittin' Boogie") and Ralph Plummer. The trio somehow attracted the attention of the eccentric Lee Hazlewood who promptly signed them to his newly established LHI label. Debuting with 1968's "Invisible People" b/w "Flash" (LHI catalog 17016), the group managed one follow-up single ("Confusion" b/w "Your Own Comedown" (LHI catalog 1206), before switching to Dot Records.

1969's "hamilton streetcar" found the group working with producer Richard Delvy. Structurally the set was odd, largely forsaking conventional three minute song structures in favor of a pair of side long, multi-part suites that frequently interweaved main themes with shorter refrains (examples included "Streetcar" and a cover of Tim Buckley's "Pleasant Street"). Heavily orchestrated, tracks such as "Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Have Wings and Fly)" and the instrumental "Entre Acte" sounded a bit like Curt Boetcher and Gary Usher's work with Sagittarius. Elsewhere, tracks such as "Brother Speed", "Welcome into Your World" and "" were far less pop oriented, featuring a distinctive rock/psych sound. Definitely different, the set grows on you each time around. It's one of our favorite recent discoveries.
[ed. note : ours too ! - ]


hamilton streetcar - `69 - DOT records
MP3 @ 320 kbps - "all trax from wax"
*includes high rez cover scans*
transferred by akashaman - 2008

"Hamilton Streetcar" track listing:
1.) Overture - 3:18
2.) Streetcar (Lee Michaels) - :37
3.) Where Do I Go - :24
4.) Brother Speed (John Boylan) - :21
5.) I See I Am (Buzz Clifford) - :40
6.) Welcome into Your World - :15
7.) Now I Taste the Tears - :25
8.) Streetcar - :17
9.) Streetcar - 2:28
10.) Brother Speed - 2:58
11.) I See I Am - 4:45
12.) Where Do I Go - 3:33
13.) Now I Taste the Tears - 2:35
14.) Welcome into Your World - 2:15
15.) Entre Acte (instrumental) - 3:58
16.) Silver Wings (instrumental) - :33
17.) Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Have Wings and Fly). - :32
18.) Pleasant Street (Tim Buckley) - :35
19.) Honey and Wine - :32
20.) Wasn't It You? - 1:12
21.) Silver Wings - :34
22.) Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Have Wings and Fly) - 3:25
23.) Silver Wings - 4:33
24.) Honey and Wine - 3:23
25.) Pleasant Street - 4:28
26.) Wasn't It You? - 3:17

download : -- here --

andy kim - greatest hits- `74 ABC records

here is some bubblegum to chew on , in the meantime.

andy kim - greatest hits
MP3 @ 320 kbps

1 - be my baby
2 - baby , i love you
3 - how`d we ever get this way
4 - shoot`em up baby
5 - rainbow ride
6 - a friend in the city
7 - i been moved
8 - so good together
9 - i wish i were
10 - its your life
11 - tricia tell your daddy

download -- here --

Willow - `73 debut

another great 70` soft rock/pop lp.
for fans of bee gees , america , moody blues & BLUE.
this is a great lost lp , & one that will really grow on ya.
more info soon.

just grab it for now

MP3 @ 320 kbps
includes high rez front/cover scans !

aka

download -- here --

Sapphire Thinkers - From Within - Hobbit Records - `70

YES ! i brought the FUZZ , ACID & FLOWERS BACK !
hold on tight....
just found this gem the other day .. i am assuming this puppy is pretty scarce.
i have certainly never seen it. i might sell it , so i thought i would share it 1st. hope you kids enjoy this one ! My fave trax : please understand , title track & theres a woman
very nice west coast sunshine psych out of LA with all the right ingredients — organ, fuzz, flute, male/female vocals, cool harmonies, etc. recorded by sandy lehmann-haupt, an original merry prankster and sound man on the Pranksters' bus. Quality from start to finish. and yes, those are mushrooms on the cover.
more ....
Other than Vernon Joynson's entry in Fuzz, Acid and Flowers and his very similar summary of the album in "Flashback", used in the sleeve notes for the CD re-issue, there is very little information on this excellent band and their work. Joynson's summary from the sleeve notes was as follows "...similar to Jefferson Airplane and Peanut Butter Conspiracy...based in LA, they were probably Californian. The album contains some pleasant vocal arrangements/harmonies and nice touches of acid and fuzz guitar and is recommended". I couldn't agree more. If it's light and breezy West Coast psych inflected pop you're looking for, then this band make all the right moves. In addition to melodies and male/female vocal harmonies to rival The Mamas & The Papas, and a groovieness in the vein of Ultimate Spinach, there's a few more things that really stand out on the album for me. These are the technically brilliant snappy keyboard backing on most tracks, the stunning lead guitar breaks that really lift several of the tracks, and the sprinkling of flute over the album. The standout tracks are the title track "From Within" and the amazing "I Got To You" which is contains the best harmony work on the album and some beautifully introspective guitar pieces. Yet another talented bunch of musicians that never received the attention they deserved.



Saphhire Thinkers - From Within - Hobbit Records - `70
*includes high rez front/back cover scans ! MP3 @ 320kbps


1. MELANCHOLY BABY 2:11
2. I FEEL A BIT STRANGE 2:42
3. GET ALONG BOY 1:57
4. BLUES ON YOU 3:03
5. FROM WITHIN 3:23
6. I GOT TO YOU 2:45
1. NOT ANOTHER NIGHT : 2:51
2. LET HER COME IN 2:17
3. PLEASE UNDERSTAND : 2:56
4. BLIND WITH A BORROWED LIGHT 2:30
5. THERE'S A WOMAN 2:40
6. DOIN' ALRIGHT 4:47



DOWNLOAD -- here --

Cityboy - The Day the Earth Caught Fire - `79 - Atlantic

hey ~

ok , as promised , here is the other cityboy LP i have.
this one is probably more consistantly better than the debut.
i really love the title track , the ballads & the closing suite , ambition. enjoy kids !
"all trax from wax" - transferred by akashaman - 2008

aka`


amazon review : [ By Klaus Nrskov (Copenhagen Denmark) ]

The truly amazing thing about City Boy is their vocals. Apart from the even more amazing Sweet and Queen, City Boy is just about the best when it comes to vocal harmonies and multi-layered singing. This record and "Book Early" prove this point wihtout a doubt and with three really strong voices in the band (Broughton, Mason and Ward)their options on the vocal side were numerous - and they knew how to make use of them ... big time.
Also the songwriting is notably strong. Again you will have to start with the same to releases. "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" and "Book Early" are quite simply among the best pop/rock albums of the late seventies. And some of the songs could be regarded as classics. But this was the time of punk and new wave and everybody was looking somewhere else at the time. Simplicity and agression reigned and was preferred to classic qualities such as the above mentioned. And later - when City Boy released "Head are Rolling" - the New Wave of British Heavy Metal had hit the world and what we wanted was twin-guitars and quite different vocal aproaches.
Just the same City Boy was an excellent band and far more interesting than bands of the same genre such as Supertramp, Camel or even contemporary Genesis. All bands that did far better and whos legacy stand much stronger today. I truly find this unfair. City Boy were excellent and should be praised for their fantastic vocal-work and strong songs. They build this on top of a more than decent musicianship. I find this record to be marginally better and more consistent than "Book Early", but really you need to get them both.
This would naturally lead to this record. "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" was the last record with all of the three voices in the band. Broughton left after this record. And it is their best record - chiefly because it is so consistent yet versatile and because the songwriting and musicianship is slightly matured compared to "Book Early". Stand out tracks are the titletrack, "Machines" and the suite-like "Ambition" which are essentially four rather different tracks melted together in a way that works ok, but really you should listen to the four parts as four songs - as a concept it doesn't really work - not for me anyway. If you prefere the more edgy songs of City Boy you might think that the three tracks closing side one on the original LP are one too many to stay awake but at the end of the day they are all strong and melodic tracks.
City Boy never got anywhere, really. Which is quite a shame since they were one of the most interesting bands outside punk during the late seventies. Their vocal work are spectacular and a number of their songs truly stand out - even at this day and age. If you want to buy your way into City Boy, you should start here and go on to "Book Early".
City Boy is a an interesting band who deserved to do better than they did. And if you like complex composing in a compact song-format and in a distinctively seventies ambience ... well, don't hesitate. !

Cityboy - the day the earth caught fire - `79 - atlantic :
MP3 @ 320 kbps - 100 MB -
includes high rez cover scans & lyrix

• 1. The Day The Earth Caught
• 2. Its Only The End Of The W
• 3. Interrupted Melody
• 4. Modern Love Affair
• 5. New York Times
• 6. Up In The Eighties
• 7. Machines
• 8. Ambition
  

A. Ambition
B. me & my tarot
C. rev-on (the crunch)
D. the end (came easy)


DOWNLOAD : -- here --

Spooky - shock of pleasure [ classic IV cover ]

kelley - lead singer / shock of pleasure

hey all

here is a cover of "spooky" , by the classic IV , redone by my friends band [ shock of pleasure ] i help produce.
was wanting to get some feedback on it ..
let me know what you guys think , either way , thanks alot !

aka`

DOWNLOAD -- here --

Cityboy - s/t - `76 Mercury Debut

i dunno how i managed to grow up without this lp -- i find it 30 yrs later ! oh well , better late than never eh : this is a nice grower. not sure how this fell through the cracks:
ha , speaking of some of it reminds me of crack the sky , maybe meets kansas. its really good , let me know what you think ~ IF YOU GUYS DIG THIS , I ALSO HAVE "THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE"..
oh ya , & this one was produced by "mutt" lange , back when he was "robert john" !
:)

my fave tracks here are "5,000 years" , thats the epic here eh ? also love "greatest story ever told" & "haymaking time" !

enjoy ~

aka


Studio Album, released in 1976
Track Listings

1. (Moonlight) Shake My Head And Leave (4:25)
2. Deadly Delicious (4:37)
3. Surgery Hours (Doctor Doctor) (3:01)
4. Sunset Boulevard (6:14)
5. Oddball Dance (5:01)
6. 5000 Years / Don't Know Can't Tell (8:38)
7. The Hap-Ki-Do Kid (3:10)
8. The Greatest Story Ever Told (4:46)
9. Haymaking Time (5:30)


Total Time: 45:22
Line-up/Musicians

- Steve Broughton / guitar, vocals
- Chris Dunn / bass, acoustic guitar
- Roger Kent / drums
- Lol Mason / lead vocals
- Mike Slamer / acoustic & electric guitars
- Max Thomas / keyboards


Cityboy - Mercury - `76 - MP3 @ 320 kbps

download -- here --