The Rose Garden - Atco - `68

ok i brought the pop psych back , ha -- man i tripped when i saw this as i knew it was old ; really good shape too - from 68 ~
pretty good lp , but i am surprised they didnt get sued by the byrds for copping thier guitar tones , haha - its uncanny how similar they sound , i am talking jangly , jangly , jangly ! - but there is a nice blend of male & female vox here that reminds us of mamas & papas too.
not much fuzz guitar on this one , u get the idea. it really brings back the times tho , my faves are : next plane to london & flower town !
enjoy --

The Rose Garden's only album is a fair but unmemorable pop-folk-rock record, able in its emulation of the Byrds' 12-string guitar sound with some competent stirring male-female vocal blends. Indeed this contains some of the most blatant mimicry of Roger McGuinn's style that you'll find, without nearly as much of McGuinn's imagination. Far more pop-oriented than the Byrds, the record was also handicapped by the absence of original material; the sole song bearing writing credits of group members, "Flower Town" (on which Kim Fowley also somehow manages to squeeze into the credit line), is in fact an adaptation of the traditional folk song "Portland Town." Big Byrds collectors, though, might want to keep an eye out for this not-too-easy-to-find LP as it contains two Gene Clark songs that never appeared anywhere else, "Till Today" and "Long Time." Neither of these songs are wonderful, but they're okay and better than the rest of the album (save the hit "Next Plane to London"), with "Till Today" bearing a countryish feel not unlike some of the songs on Clark's debut album. In other curious footnotes, three of the tunes were co-written by Pat Vegas, later to rise to fame as part of Redbone, while "Look What You've Done" was co-written by Bob Johnston, who at that time was producing superstars Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.


The Rose Garden - Atco - `68
ALL TRAX FROM WAX - AKASHAMAN - 2010
MP3 @ 320 - includes front/back/label high rez scans !


1 - Next Plane to London
2 - I'm Only Second
3 - February Sunshine
4 - Coins of Fun
5 - Rider
6 - She Belongs to Me
7 - Flower Town
8 - Till Today
9 - Look What You've Done
10 - Long Time

tons more info on band , history , pics , 45`s - very kewl - see link below !!

--- The Rose garden ---

DOWNLOAD -- HERE --

David Werner - Whizz Kid - `74 - RCA Records

ok folks :
here is another one that got lost ! - i know there are a couple shares out there on this , but i bet they dont sound as good ! HA
this is a lost Glam type LP , think bowie , mott the hoople & the like.
its a shame these great LP`s never get the recognition they deserve , but i guess thats why i am here ! enjoy this one whizz kids !



Werner takes a more measured tack than his flashier brethren, though Mark Doyle's and Max Kendrick's guitars can pounce and snarl with the best of them. Songs alternate between mid-tempo rockers and plaintive ballads like "The Lady in Waiting" and "It's Too Sad," which offers encouragement to a lonely person ("but you're no one's clown/'cause they're the ones that have to grow"). "One More Wild Guitar" opens the album decisively, casting its rocker-versus-fogeyish-parents lyric as a coming-of-age story -- a theme he further develops on "The Death of Me Yet" and the title track ("everything I try to say somehow comes out crazy"). The musicianship isn't flashy, but it's first-rate throughout (especially Doyle and Kendrick, who carry most of the load). Werner addresses his inner life on the winsome "Love Is Tragic" and "A Sleepless Night," in which a rebuffed lover plays for more time. As if to ensure he's not playing things too straight, Werner trots out another Bowie-esque touch -- "Plan 9," a one-minute, free-associative spoken-word piece. The public may not have known how to read him, but David Werner was a distinctive artist, which may have worked against him. His style's definitely an acquired taste, but you'll never forget it once you hear it.
Whizz Kid remains the best known of his three albums, probably because everyone who ever owned it during it's day never paid more than a dollar or two tops for it. Whizz Kidd was one of the most golden of all cut-outs during The Golden Age Of Cut-Outs 1972-1980. EVERY greater cut-out bin across the country, whether it be a record store, a K-Mart, or your corner drug store, ALWAYS had plenty of copies of Whizz Kid.


David Werner - Whizz Kid -`74 RCA Records
ALL TRAX FROM WAX - by akashaman - 2010 - MP3 @ 320 kbps


One More Wild Guitar
Whizz Kid
The Lady in Waiting
The Ballad of Trixie Silver
It's a Little Bit Sad
Love Is Tragic
Plan 9
Counting the Ways
The Death of Me Yet
A Sleepless Night

DOWNLOAD -- HERE --

Brian Protheroe - Pinball -- Chrysalis, 1974

wow , well the story behind this lp for me. the song "pinball" was recently posted by per gessle of Roxette who is one of my facebook friends - he posted it as a song of the day thing. i had never heard the song & checked it out. i really liked it. . fast forward a couple weeks & i am browsing through some records at half priced books & came across the full length Pinball LP ! - its really amazing to me that there are still gems like this yet to be found. not a dud on this one. on the whole its very ambitious & takes from many influences , i hear - beach boys , beatles , bob welch , steve miller , 10cc , queen , bowie , nilsson , emmitt rhodes - et al , ha.
i think there will be a few folks REALLY surprised to see it , as i could see how this would be a great re visit ! -- me , i am hearing it for the first time !
i am calling lost epic here ! - love to hear your own stories !!
headphones ~ ....:)

" Prior to his career as an actor on the silver and small screen in Britain, Brian Protheroe was a pop singer/songwriter primarily inspired by Paul McCartney, something that he was not alone in during the early '70s. He sits comfortably alongside such British troubadours as Elton John, Al Stewart, and Gilbert O'Sullivan, and obscurities like John Howard, who along with Protheroe was revived on RPM's excellent soft rock installment in their Lipsmackin 70's series, 2003's Zigzag: 20 Junkshop Soft Rock Singles 1970-1974. Protheroe's exquisite "Pinball" opened up Zigzag, setting the wheels in motion for EMI's 2006 set, Pinball and Other Stories, the first CD compilation of Protheroe's work to see release on CD. Unlike Howard, who truly was a maverick, Protheroe was quintessentially English in his understatement and impeccable taste, borrowing the best from McCartney, whether it's his ballad style or his enduring taste for vaudeville camp. But far from being a mess of affectations and influences, Protheroe was a sharp craftsman of soft pop, blessed with a gift for melody and a wry wit, along with possessing a fondness for lush, layered productions that makes him a quintessentially '70s singer/songwriter, yet the craftiness behind his music means that this collection of highlights from his '70s albums is far from a mere artifact: the craft helps these songs transcend their era of origin even if the sound of the recordings effortless evokes its time. Which, of course, is a large part of the appeal of Pinball -- this smartly selected collection of highlights showcases Protheroe at his best as a pop craftsman, and even if he's hardly the genius of McCartney, or as commercial as either Elton or O'Sullivan or as eccentric as Stewart, fans of any of those four '70s pop songwriters will find this pretty close to irresistible. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine "

Released in 1974, Pinball was a very minor hit (number 22 for a week) in the UK. It had no chart action in the US. It is the title cut of an album also called Pinball, which like the non-hit single tends toward the quiet, introspective side of glam. Protheroe did two more albums and they stiffed harder than his debut. One of the reasons for Protheroe's lack of success is that he was at heart an actor and would rather spend his time on stage doing Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Pinter than playing the ol' sing song. Thus Pinball, as his other records, was made between acting gigs. Protheroe's last big theatrical splash? He played Saruman in The Lord of The Ring


Brian Protheroe - Pinball -- (Chrysalis, 1974) CHR1065
MP3@ 320 kbps - includes back cover / lyrics high rez scan !
[ cause these lyrics are kewl - ha ]
ALL TRAX FROM WAX - AKASHAMAN - 2010

1. Clog Dancer
2. Money Love
3. Moon Over Malibu
4. Mickey Dollar Dreams
5. Goodbye Surprise
6. Pinball
7. Kinotata
8. Changing My Tune
9. Monkey
10. Lady Belladonna
11. Fly Now
12. Interview / Also In The limelight
13. Wrong Kinotata

DOWNLOAD -- HERE --

Cryan Shames - A Scratch in the Sky - `67 - Columbia Records

ok kids , here is the second cryan shames LP. i think its a bit better , trippier than synthesis I JUST POSTED , go figure. i know this isnt that hard to find , but here it is at 320 ! - let me know what ya think if ya have time - OH , ALSO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEW FILE SHARING SITE , like how kewl is that ? forget about deleted files !!

aka`


Cryan shames - a scratch in the sky - `67
MP3 @ 320 kbps

1. A Carol for Lorelei
2. The Sailing Ship
3. In the Cafe
4. Mr. Unreliable
5. The Town I'd Like to Go Back To
6. Up on the Roof - The Cryan' Shames, Goffin, Gerry
7. It Could Be We're in Love
8. Sunshine Psalm
9. I Was Lonely When
10. Cobblestone Road (She's Been Walkin')

Just like scientists posturing the existence of an unknown particle or detecting a planet through its gravitational pull, you knew this had to exist - a Chicago psychedelic pop-rock album. Okay, maybe you did not know it, but it does exist and if you can accept the fact that the Cryan' Shames never had an original idea in their entire lives, you'll enjoy A Scratch in the Sky. The album succeeds because Fairs and new bassist Lenny Kerley did a great job writing hooks, coming up with catchy melodies, and getting the group's vocal harmonies into shape. Instead of the Byrds, the Chicagoans now echoed West Coast harmony groups like the Beach Boys and the Association, as well as British psychedelia. So, the group gathered up every conceivable instrument they could play, and went on a psychedelic pop-rock binge. A Scratch in the Sky is not a masterpiece by any means, but it was more cutting edge than Paul Revere and the Raiders ever got. The band's flexibility is apparent, from happy little tunes like "The Town I'd Like to Go Back To" and the cosmopolitan "In the Cafe," to more Beach Boys influenced songs like "It Could Be We're In Love." The group had enough chops to successfully venture into more rock territory ("Sunshine Psalm" and the humorous "Dennis Dupree from Danville") and their psychedelic jams are rather, erm, pretty (the intricate "The Town I'd Like to Go Back To"). Fairs and Kerley just cranked out a pile of fine pop songs such as "A Carol for Lorelei", "In the Cafe", "Cobblestone Road" and the tripped out "The Sailing Ship," among those already mentioned, and the band's playing is credible and detailed enough to enable the Fairs/Kerley songwriting team to present all this without it coming off as crude. Sure, there is plenty of outright copying: "Mr. Unreliable" is a fine Beatles knockoff and "I Was Lonely When" is a dead-on impression of a Marty Balin led Jefferson Airplane track, and there's an unnecessary cover of the Goffin/King "Up on the Roof". Still, if you like psychedelic pop-rock (or think you might) check this out - it's rather good, even if unoriginal. (Isaac Guillory (guitar) replaced Stone as well.)

DOWNLOAD -- HERE --

cryan shames _ synthesis _69_columbia records

Here is another new find , great pop psych LP by Cryan Shames ~
fans of association , byrds , and cowsills will dig this one !


cryan shames _ synthesis _69_columbia records
MP3 @ 320 kbps
all trax from wax _ ripped by akashaman_2010

01 - Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David , Smith & Jones
02 - Baltimore Oriole
03 - It's All Right
04 - Your Love
05 - A Master's Fool
06 - First Train To California
07 - The Painter
08 - Sweet Girl Of Mine
09 - 20th Song
10 - Let's Get Together
11 - Symphony of the Wind

In the mid to late 1960's, Chicago was a boom town for bands that broke nationally-The Buckinghams, Spanky and Our Gang, The New Colony Six, The Ides Of March, The American Breed, and The Shadows Of Knight.
Although their national success didn't quite match those groups, the Cryan' Shames were hugely popular in the Chicago area and the upper Midwest and received lots of airplay on local radio. Their three Columbia LP releases were essential records of the time if you lived in the area.
Their last album, "Synthesis", is part of the Sundazed reissue series of the group's catalog. It features the original eleven song line-up (along with six single or mono versions of those tracks) and two songs previously unavailable on album.
It's always been a mystery why leader James Fairs' final contribution to the group, "First Train To California", wasn't a monster hit single. It featured an exciting vocal performance by the group and interesting production. Other highlights include the hard edged "Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith & Jones"; the percussive "20th Song"; a country styled "Your Mother Should Know"/Beatle homage entitled "It's All Right"; the moody "Baltimore Oriole"; a vocal workout on "Let's Get Together"; and Lenny Kerley's ultra romantic "Your Love".

DOWNLOAD -- HERE --

The Flying Machine_1969_Janus Records

ok kids , i am still alive , ha - recently found this GEM , forgot all about the hit ! thats always fun. whats a great song , the whole lp is actually quite good. fans of pop psych & bubblegum will really enjoy this one ~

The Flying Machine_1969_- Janus Records
ALL TRAX FROM WAX - transferred by akashaman - 2010 - MP3 @ 320kbps
includes high rez cover scans !

1- SMILE A LITTLE SMILE FOR ME
2- MARIE TAKE A CHANCE
3- WAITING ON THE SHORES OF NOWHERE
4- THAT SAME OLD FEELING
5- THERE SHE GOES
6- BABY MAKE IT SOON
7- BROKEN HEARTED ME, EVIL HEARTED YOU
8- A THINGS CALLED LOVE
9- MY BABY'S COMING HOME
10- SEND MY BABY HOME AGAIN

This was a British studio rock band not to be confused with the American folk-rock group “The Flying Machine” with “James Taylor” that was also formed in the 1960’s. The members were “Stewart Coleman” on bass, “Steve Jones” on lead guitar and vocals, “Samuel Kemp” on autoharp and vocals, “Anthony Newman” on rhythm guitar and vocals and “Paul Wilkinson” on drums. Jones was not the same “Steve Jones” who later would be a member of “The Sex Pistols” and “Neurotic Outsiders” even though they were both from England. “Flying Machine” formed by “Pye” records producer/songwriter “Tony Macaulay” and producer/songwriter “Geoff Stevens”. Macaulay was the co-writer of “The Foundations” biggest US hit “Build Me Up Buttercup” that peaked on the US singles pop chart at #3 in 1969. Coleman, Kemp and Newman had both been members of “Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours” also known as “The Pinkertons”, Wilkinson had been with “The Peeps” and “The Sabres” and Jones had also been with “The Sabres”. “The Pinkertons” formed in 1964 in Rugby, England as “The Liberators” but changed the group name after adding their newest member “Samuel Pinkerton Kemp”.

“The Pinkertons” had one charting hit in the UK in “Mirror, Mirror” with “She Don’t Care” on the flip side that peaked at #8 in 1966 there. Their next release “Don’t Stop Loving Me Baby” backed by “Will You” but it failed to chart. Their manager “Reg Calvert” was killed in June and “Decca” records decided to drop them from the company. They then decided to change their style and group name and add 2 additional members and became “Flying Machine” in 1969. The group’s music was a combination of bubblegum, pop, rock and psychedelia. They next signed a contract with "Congress" records in the US and with "Pye" records for Canada and overseas distribution. They released "Smile A Little Smile For Me (Rosemarie)" with "Maybe We've Been Loving Too Long" on the B-side on 4 October. It peaked at #5 on the US pop singles chart and sold over a million copies going gold. In December they released “"Send My Baby Home Again" backed by "Look At Me, Look At Me" but it failed to make the charts. On 24 February 1970 their next release debuted on the charts titled "Baby Make It Soon" with "There She Goes" on the B-side.

Even though Macaulay had composed the song another British group by the name of “Marmalade” recorded and released it as a B-side the year before “Flying Machine”. “Marmalade’s version was on the flip side of “Time Is On My Side” on “Epic” records but it failed to make the charts. “Flying Machine” had their version peak at #87 on the US pop singles chart. The group next switched record companies in the US signing with the “Janus” label. They released 2 albums on their new label this year in "Smile A Little Smile For Me" and "The Flying Machine". Only their self-titled album made the charts and it peaked at #179 on the US pop album chart. They released only 1 single this year on “Janus” in "Hanging On The Edge Of Sadness" with "My Baby's Coming Home" on the B-side but it failed to chart. In 1971 they released a 2 album set titled "Down To Earth With The Flying Machine The Complete Recordings" but it failed to chart. They also issued one final single on “Janus” this year in "Hey Little Girl" backed by "The Devil Has Possession Of My Mind". “Hey Little Girl” was not the same version of the song recorded by “Dee Clark”, “Del Shannon”, “Foster Sylvers”, “Major Lance”, “The Techniques” or “The Syndicate Of Sound”. All the other versions of the song by these artists made the US pop charts except for their version.

Shortly after the release of their final record on “Janus” the group decided to split-up. Wilkinson went on to play drums for the short live Canadian punk rock group “Red Tide”. He would later play in the 5-piece nu-metal group “Sphere” as one of 2 drummers in the group. Newman would later play for “T. Rex”, “Sounds Incorporated” and “Three Man Army”. In 2004 “Castle Music America” records released a 2-CD, 5-track compilation titled “Flight Recorder From Pinkerton’s Associated Colours To The Flying Machine” which also failed to make the charts. This group’s 2 US charting singles are listed below.


1. Smile A Little Smile For Me (Rosemarie)/Maybe We’ve Been Loving Too Long - Debut 10/04/69, Peaked at #5 (GOLD)
2. Baby Make It Soon/There She Goes – Debut 02/21/70, Peaked at #89

DOWNLOAD -- HERE --

"VINYL" -- Documenatry_ Alan Zweig_2000

ok folks :

gonna get back into the swing of things soon. just ordered a new cartridge for my turntable , then we can start getting more lp`s up !
in the meantime , here is a hard to find doc about record collecting & collectors.
i hope i never get this bad , ha. these DOODS are truly serious -- anyway this film is quite amusing -- enjoy


"Excellent, excellent film about record collectors from the perspective of a film maker AND record collector. What's so unique about Alan Zweig's documentation, is that he includes his own person in it, sometimes filming a location and himself in a mirror, or speaking directly to the audience about his private and personal thoughts. The other record collectors portrayed in this 110 minutes movie are beyond belief; can you imagine someone seriously claiming to collect EVERY song ever made? Or being able to tell the tracklists of ALL of his ten-thousands of albums by heart? "Vinyl"will blow your mind beyond the subject of sheer record collecting. It's a study on human obsessions in general."


download ---- HERE --

City Boy - Book Early - `78 - Mercury Records

OK kids , another installment in the City Boy archives ! here is 1978`s "book early" LP!
highlights ! : [ summer in the schoolyard , goodbye laurelie , raise your glass , beth , & moving in circles ]



"Book early" was the album which finally brought commercial success for City Boy, in the form of a hit single. "5705" will be familiar to anyone who was listening to pop music in the late 1970's, its early use of a digital dial tone sound instantly distinguishing it in that crowded market. The song was in fact originally called "Turn on to Jesus", but while the record label loved the melody, they felt that the theme would cause problem when it came to radio play. The band rewrote the lyrics and the rest is history. While the general perception of the band is (rightly) that of one hit wonders, the follow up single "What a night", also appears on some versions of this album.

With new drummer Roy Ward now installed, the line up is restored to a six piece. The songwriters once again are primarily Steve Broughton and Lol Mason but the rest of the band contribute here and there.

Book Early starts with "5.7.0.5," a Queen/ELO hybrid, and the rest of the album follows suit pretty closely -- but this time City Boy adds more pop elements to their sound and drops the soft rock feel that was prevalent on much of Young Men Gone West. The result is quite enjoyable, especially on tracks like "Raise Your Glass (To Foolish Me)," "Cigarettes" and "Dangerous Ground." Book Early is City Boy's most energetic, if not their best.


City Boy - Book Early - Mercury Records
Studio Album, released in 1978
MP3 @ 320 kbps - high reZ scans included / lyrix

Songs / Tracks Listing :

1. 5.7.0.5. (3:10)
*8. Summer In The Schoolyard (3:52)
*3. Goodbye Laurelie (3:10)
*4. Raise Your Glass (To Foolish Me) (2:57)
5. Cigarettes (5:30)
6. What A Night (2:57)
7. Do What You Do, Do Well (3:29)
8. World Loves A Dancer (3:24)
*9. Beth (2:45)
*10. Moving In Circles (4:05)
*11. Dangerous Ground (4:53)

Total Time: 40:12

Line-up / Musicians
- Steve Broughton / guitar, backing vocals
- Chris Dunn / bass, acoustic guitar
- Lol Mason / lead vocals
- Mike Slamer / acoustic & electric guitars
- Max Thomas / keyboards
- Roy Ward / drums, backing vocals

Guest musicians:
- Merle Anger / guitar
- Roy Babbington / bass
- Robert John Mutt Lange / bass
- Greg Mathieson / keyboards

Produced By: Robert "Mutt" John Lange [ HELL YA ! ]
Recorded At: Rockfield Studios, Monmouth, South Wales
Engineered By: Robert John Lange, Ted Sharp, Neil Ross, Gary Edwards
Mixed At: The Record Plant, Los Angeles, California
Cover Art: Richard Haughton

Releases information
LP Vertigo 9102 028
LP Mercury SRM 1-3737


DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

Bonzo Dog Band - Tadpoles - Imperial Records - `69

ha , ok just in time for halloween here is Bonzo Dog Band , & monster mash !
if u never heard these guys , your in for a real treat ! what a riot !
i have alot of their stuff , will post more - request what`s needed ?!
enjoy kids:



While this is not The Bonzo's greatest work (that title belongs to URBAN SPACEMAN, also known as THE DOUGHNUT IN GRANNY'S GREENHOUSE), it is, along with their GORILLA, among some of most innovative and hilarious musical satire ever produced. After all these years, this is not only still funny, it's actually quite enjoyable as music. The musicianship is deceptively complex and accomplished, while the lyrics rival anything to come out of British comedy, Monty Python included (various members of The Python and the Bonzo's worked on each other's projects). Although most of the songs are originals, there is one cover, 'Monster Mash,' which will be more familiar to some listeners (of a certain age) than the Bobby Pickett version. The eclectic range of music here, inspired by several decades of changing styles, makes this recording endlessly entertaining: We are transported to the Late 20's/early 30's ('Tubas In The Moonlight,' 'By A Waterfall,' 'Doctor Jazz') the late 50's/early 60's ('Monster Mash,' 'Canyons Of Your Mind,' the latter a cheeky Elvis send-up), and on towards the age of heavy metal (the guitar work on 'Mr. Apollo'). The Spirits of Spike Jones and His City Slickers are invoked by zany ditties such as 'Hunting Tigers Out In India' and 'Ali-Baba's Camel,' complete with sound effects and vocal asides. 'Shirt' pokes fun at man-on-the-street interviews, and 'Ready-Mades' would be at home on any number of '60's psychedelic rock albums (a strange combination of Bee Gees, Beatles and early Pink Floyd). Songs like 'Tubas' and 'Waterfall' seem to anticipate the rise of the more serious, reverential careers of Ry Cooder (his JAZZ album), John Fahey (OLD-FASHIONED LOVE and AFTER THE BALL), and Leon Redbone (his entire catalog). For fans of important memorabilia from the '60's and early '70's, British comedy up to the present, and musical parody of any kind, this is indispensible. It is becoming hard-to-find, so get it soon! --- [ dustyart - amazon.com ]

Bonzo Dog Band - Tadpoles - Imperial Records - `69
MP3 @ 320 kbps - all trax from wax !
includes high rez cover scans

"Hunting Tigers Out in Indiah" - 3:06
"Shirt" - 4:28
"Tubas in the Moonlight" - 2:23
"Dr. Jazz" - 2:40
"Monster Mash" - 2:59
"ready-mades" - 3:09
"Ali-Baba's Camel" - 2:31
"Laughing Blues" - 3:44
"By a Waterfall" - 3:08
"Mr. Apollo" - 4:20
"Canyons of Your Mind" - 3:03


DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

Meatloaf - Bat out of Hell - `77 - [collectors edition cd]

this one is not too rare , but this is kinda a remaster , so might be an upgrade. sounds great here. -- came out in `77 when i was 12. i had the cassette ! it was a summer fave , brings back some magical memories now a days , hope it does for you too if u havent heard it in a bit !

"Those who dismiss this undeniably popular album due to puerile lyrics (generally leveled at this album's sequel), over-the-top production, and Meat Loaf singing so passionately about such adolescent themes as a badly written farce totally miss the point. This is an album that pokes fun at all the rock and roll pretensions that had crept into rock music over the years (Townshend can you hear me?), and it succeeds wonderfully.
There's no doubt about it. BAT OUT OF HELL takes all these adolescent themes, mostly raging hormones, and builds, with operatic flair and lots of kitsch, this preposterously silly album which never-the-less struck a chord with a great many people. BAT OUT OF HELL is a concept album, but it doesn't carry all the serious connotations that such a label implies. This is Steinman taking all these broad-way musical conventions and hiring Meat Loaf, who could belt out vocals like no one else, and giving these teen-age angst-ridden years such a ridiculous setting that you can't help but laughing at the idiocy of what people thought were so important in their youth.

Steinman's and Meat Loaf's chief critics generally site the bombast and blowing up teen-age angst with such an operatic flair. They miss the point. I will always stand behind Steinman's position as an artist because he uses all these so called "weaknesses" for effect. It's a very silly album, but then, it's supposed to be. Even the cover-art is ridiculous. It's all about that bad boy/girl image that's so laughably fake that no one takes them as any real threat. Most call it "Just a phase they're going through."

Steinman shows how the youth, when they begin taking themselves seriously as adults, are so concerned with issues that as people grow up realise, while important, aren't so damned dramatic as they made it out to be. [The album cover]. I'm sure most people remember wanting to do something out of the norm just so they can appear to be so tough and independent, and looking back are glad they outgrew it. This could be music or fashion or whatever. The whole album describes that state of young people wanting "bad boy" image which is really, really hooky.

What makes this such a good album is even though it's all about that awkward transition phase between childhood and adulthood, Steinman deals with real issues, and surprisingly well at that. It's the very clear craftsmanship and the obvious "weaknesses" that are actually the strengths that makes this such a strong album. Although I've never though BAT had a straight-forward narrative, the title track (my personal favorite of both albums) introduces the type of characters we'll be seeing. The very last track tells of an individual who did make it past this phase and into maturity.

One of the more interesting things about BAT OUT OF HELL is its position on sex. Steinman's lyrics have a very perceptive view of what sex is, and shockingly it's much more along the lines of what Christianity teaches. Although you cannot conclusively say BAT OUT OF HELL promotes sex only in marriage, it gives several portraits, with very distinct imagery, that suggests that the youth get so tied up in sex that they don't care at all about each other. The sexual urges has destroyed or drastically hurt most of the relationships depicted on BAT OUT OF HELL with the single exception of the last track.

To me, "For Crying Out Loud" has always been the key track to BAT OUT OF HELL. The six songs that go before depict these youth, so bound up in folly they don't know or show real love, continually broken and hurt in their relationships. In "For Crying Out Loud," however, an individual, ravaged with age, has finally found some one to love at last. They're no longer concerned with sex just for pleasure but they've found actually found a love.

There's such a jump in the age of Steinman's characters between the first six tracks and "For Crying Out Loud" that it BAT OUT OF HELL actually serves as a warning that if you don't grow up then you'll miss so much of what life has to offer. The first six tracks describe all the misadventures and stupid, malicious acts that these kids do, and then "Paradise By the Dashboard Light" transitions the characters from that song into old age, still without love. "For Crying Out Loud" then begins and is the only song dealing with an old person, and do to the transition provided in the previous song, it's reasonable to believe that Steinman wants to show what a lifetime of immaturity and bad boy posturing will get you. Steinman moves to the very heart and moral core of the record. This is where they discover that they don't have all the time in the world like they thought (in "Heaven Can Wait"). In the end, they also discover healthy sexuality as well, and are mature enough to raise their own children.

It's all these different facets that make BAT OUT OF HELL such a fascinating listen and an amazing artistic triumph. Most of this album's critics are so far off base they look positively asinine.

Those who are looking for a surprisingly deep and moral record that has a great sense of dramatic flair, this is for you." -- [ MAC - amazon.com ]


Meatloaf - Bat out of Hell - `77 - [collectors edition cd]
MP3 @ 320 kbps - Cover scans

"Bat out of Hell" – 9:48
"You Took the Words Right out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)" – 5:04
"Heaven Can Wait" – 4:38
"All Revved Up with No Place to Go" – 4:19
"Two out of Three Ain't Bad" – 5:23
"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" – 8:28
Performed by Meat Loaf & Ellen Foley
"For Crying Out Loud" – 8:45

DOWNLOAD : -- here --

The Bridge - In Blue - `72 - Buddah Records

ok , here is the last LP by the brooklyn bridge , but they dropped the brooklyn by now , ha. - tons of harmonies & horns here my friends. these hippies are wailing like theres no tomorrow , ha.
these guys definately had an influence on chicago ! in fact , the last track "man in a band" is an all out jam-fest , rivaling anything blood sweat & tears , chicago ever did. !
Cream’s “I Feel Free” also gets the Bridge’s harmony and horns treatment on this album as well.
i`m not a big fan of the horns myself , but these guys are good , there is no doubt.
a bit of fuzz here & there , bottomline ; hippies on a farm , high as hell jammin , lol. --
sorry , this lp not as clean as ideal ~ but still fine when they kik it in....

more : BB here

The Bridge - In Blue - `72 - Buddah Records
MP3 @ 320 kbps - includes high rez scans , front cover / band


"Bruno's Place"
"I Feel Free"
"School Days"
"Baby What You Want Me To Do"
"Glad To See You Got Religion"
"Uptown"
"Hospital Lady"
"Man In A Band"

DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

Crack the Sky - Safety in Numbers - `78 - Lifesong Records

i never heard of this band until 1991. i was living in st. croix & met this kid who gave me the cassette. he told me if i was a rush fan , i had to check this band out , i would be blown away. and i was. if you don`t live up north , you like me , have probably never heard of this band. this is IMO , their peak of powers. it is simply greatness. any fan of art rock , prog rock & the like will enjoy this one - my fave tracks are safety , long nights & nuclear
~ here is a sample lyric.
"somethings wrong from the moon my friend , somethings wrong from the moon. as i gaze down upon you my friend , somethings wrong from the moon - poor little man , you`ve been run down" -- enjoy ~

It's generally a bad sign when the lead singer quits a band in the middle of an album, especially when that singer wrote every song on the band's previous two albums. It is therefore somewhat surprising that Safety in Numbers was not merely a good album, but one which rivals Crack the Sky's award-wining first release. Though departing leader John Palumbo contributed a few vocals before quitting the band, new singer Gary Lee Chappell and other bandmembers filled in nicely on a mix of Palumbo's songs and new tunes written by guitarist Rick Witkowski and various partners. The two songs written by Palumbo aren't even the best -- that distinction would have to go to "A Night on the Town (With Snow White)," a delightful piece that mixes styles from the 1920s and progressive rock in a way that is probably unique. There are other lyrical gems here too, including the grim title cut and the sarcastic concert favorite "Lighten Up McGraw." Palumbo's "Nuclear Apathy" is five minutes of good song stretched to eight minutes, though the splendid guitar work and inspired arrangement does much to redeem the error. Taken as a whole, Safety in Numbers showed that there was more to Crack the Sky than John Palumbo, and that the band was ready to carry on in high style. -- AMG

Crack the Sky - Safety in Numbers - LP Lifesong #35041 (1978)
MP3 @ 320 KBPS - includes scanned lyrics

- John Palumbo / lead vocals (tracks 1 & 2)
- Gary Lee Chappel / lead vocals (tracks 3 - 8)
- Jim Griffiths / guitars, harmonies
- Rick Witkowski / guitar, harmonies
- Joe Macre / bass, harmonies
- Joey D'Amico / drums, harmonies

1. Nuclear Apathy (8:32)
2. Long Nights (3:59)
3. Flashlight (4:45)
4. Prelude to Safety in Numbers (1:15)
5. Lighten Up McGraw (5:08)
6. Give Myself to You (3:23)
7. A Night on the Town(With Snow White) (3:25)
8. Safety in Numbers (6:41)




DOWNLOAD - -- HERE --

Mouth & MacNeal _ How Do You Do ? - `72 - Phillips Records

ok , so i am back; figured out how to log back in , lol.
well , here is an oldie. i know some of you remember the hit "how do you do?". great song from this dutch band. dont have much else on them , but here it is !
isolation written by john lennon / rosianna by cashman , pistilli & west ~

Mouth & MacNeal - How do you do ? - `72 - Phillips Records
MP3 @ 320 kbps - includes high rez cover scans

1- A.B.C.
2- I Almost Lost My Mind
3- I Heard It Through the Grapevine
4- Hey, You Love
5- Remember (Walking in the Sand)
6- Rosianna
7- Why Did You, Why?
8- How Do You Do?
9- Land of Milk and Honey
10- Tell Me World
11- It Happened Long Ago
12- Isolation

DOWNLOAD :-- HERE --

The Amboy Dukes - Journey to the Center of the Mind - `69 - Mainstream records - Mono

Ted Nugent named his band after an R & B outfit that had recently disbanded, saying "I thought it was a cool name". He was unaware that 'The Amboy Dukes' was also the title of a book about a 1950's street gang from Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Ted has also claimed to be unaware that the lyrics to 'Journey...' had stong allusions to psychedelic drug use, as does the collection of vintage pipes on the album's cover. I regard Nugent as being especially astute, and as a young man probably realized that using acid-tinged imagery would further the chances of success for a psychedelic rock band. For most of his associates however, being in a psychedelic rock band must have implied psychedelic drug use, and this resulted in significant conflicts between the anti-drug Nugent and the remaining Dukes.

If you're still reading, you're probably wondering about the album itself. There aren't a whole lot of highlights, save the title track, which features one of the finest electric guitar performances of the psychedelic era, matched by some of the finest psychedelic lyrics ever penned, matched by one of the heaviest bridge segments ever committed to vinyl, tape, or digital stock. Only three other songs really deserve mention, track number 5 (which closed out side one of the original vinyl release), 'Dr. Slingshot', which features overlapping vocal lines from lead singer John Drake and rhythm guitarist Steve Farmer (who, together with Nugent, penned all the songs on the disc), and a great lead guitar riff from Nugent. Unfortunately, Nugent's talent on the six-string are only occasionally put on display, such as on track 12, 'I'll Prove I'm Right', where his fine picking underlies another strong vocal performance from Drake. The band relies much more on the psychedelic imagery of its lyrics rather than Nugent's axe, a highly questionable choice given the quality of the lyrics (on 'Why Is a Carrot More Orange Than an Orange', for instance, we are offered other deep questions such as, "Why are you greener than green?"; go figure). If it's of interest, the tracks on the second side of the disc segue into one another, and while the liner notes claim they collectively tell "a story", the plot is hard to discern. The final track, 'Conclusion', does reintroduce the 'Journey...' melody, and for a few moments brings back Nugent's sterling guitar lines, but it's a case of too little too late. There is a bonus track offered on the Repertoire versions of the disc, the 7" follow up to 'Journey...', a shameless ripoff of its predecessor titled 'You Talk Sunshine, I Breathe Fire'. Despite its obvious origins, it stands as perhaps the fourth best track offered here.

The liner notes are rather sparse, although the reproduction of the original 1968 back album cover is interesting as it gives nods to "Felix and Eddie of the Young Rascals" and "The Mothers of Invention" for their influence over the Dukes. No lyrics and no running times for the songs are offered, though the track listings appear three times. The disc is in short supply, so you won't be finding it in bargain bins. It commands a rather steep price, especially considering that it really contains only one standout song. Too bad it's one of the finest from 1968.

The Amboy Dukes - Journey to the Center of the Mind - `69 - Mainstream records - Mono - MP3 @ 320 kbps - w/ high rez cover scans


1 Mississippi Murderer
2 Surrender to Your Kinks
3 Flight of the Byrd
4 Scottish Tea
5 Dr. Slingshot

one track :

6 Journey to the Center of the Mind
7 Ivory Castles
8 Why Is a Carrot More Orange Than an Orange
9 Missionary Mary
10 Death Is Life
11 Saint Philip's Friend
12 I'll Prove I'm Right
13 Conclusion



DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

Blond - Fontana Records - `69

ok kids - this is a pretty kewl record ! very rare & obscure. nice poppy melodic style , another one rescued from beneath the cracks !
enjoy !

aka`

Blond grew out of the Swedish band Tages, arguably the finest Swedish '60s rock group. After lead singer Tommy Blom left in the late '60s, they changed their name to Blond, the chief creative force being bassist/songwriter Goran Lagerberg (who had also sang some lead in Tages). Blond's 1969 album The Lilac Years was recorded in London and released in both Europe and the United States (where it was simply called Blond). Similar to the later recordings of Tages, and perhaps a bit more Anglo-pop-oriented than Tages, the album was a respectable though unexceptional effort with echoes of the Hollies, the Beatles, the Easybeats, and the like. At times it got into moody, almost early art rock-like textures, particularly on the lengthy title track, though the general mood was upbeat cheery pop/rock. They could have easily passed for a British (or even American) group, but never made significant inroads into the English-speaking market. Two new members replaced a couple of the ex-Tages, lead guitarist Anders Topel and rhythm guitarist Danne Larsson, after the album was recorded (but before it was released). Blond disbanded in 1970.


Blond's sole album is grinning, Anglo-fied pop/rock -- almost with a transatlantic feel at times, so accomplished and slick is the execution -- that might appeal to fans of early Badfinger, the late-'60s Easybeats and Hollies, and more esoteric cult faves like the Idle Race. The accent is on the "might appeal," because Blond really didn't have as strong an identity as any of those groups. Also, their material wasn't as good as the best songs recorded by the Swedish group they grew out of, Tages. It's pleasant, artfully produced, late-'60s British-styled pop/rock with a touch of the Baroque (plenty of orchestration) and psychedelic, but not much sticks in the memory banks. Certainly the best track is "The Lilac Years," a rather out-of-character, moody epic with classical-influenced organ. When the good-timey vibe is leavened by some melancholy here and there in other spots, as on "I'll Bring You Flowers" (which has more of that early Procol Harum/late Zombies-type organ), the results are again more fetching and affecting.

Blond - Fontana Records - `69 - MP3 @ 320 kbps - w/ high rez scans
ALL TRAX FROM WAX


1. Deep Inside My Heart
2. Sailing Across the Ocean
3. Six White Horses
4. Time Is Mine
5. The Girl I Once Had
6. The Lilac Years(De Salde Sina Hemman)
7. I Wake Up and Call
8. I Pick Up the Bus
9. There's a Man Standing in the Corner
10. I Will Bring You Flowers in the Morning
11. Caroline



[new link]
DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

Dennis Yost & the Classic IV - Golden Greats - `69 - Imperial Records

During a 5 year period beginning in 1966, Dennis Yost, the voice of THE CLASSICS IV, had 4 gold singles to his credit. His gold records include "Spooky," "Stormy," "Traces" and "Everyday With You Girl."

Without a doubt Dennis possessed one of the most beautiful voices ever to be on record. Even the hard rockers liked his voice. It was undeniably part of the soundtrack of the 60's. My favorite is "Stormy"

Here's a bit of bio on Dennis:

He began his musical career in Jacksonville, Florida playing drums with high school friends, calling themselves "The Echoes." In the early 1960s, he joined a group that would become known as "The Classics." Members included the founder, Wally Eaton, plus James Cobb and Joe Wilson. The group achieved certain notoriety with a small hit titled "Pollyanna" written by Joe South, not to mention Dennis was one of few drummers standing up and drumming while also singing lead. When the band learned of another group from New York City that had a small amount of success with a song titled "Til Then," using the same name, they quickly changed their name to "The Four Classics," and eventually "The Classics IV."

Sadly, Dennis died at age 65 in December last year. His music will never be forgotten.

CINCINNATI – Dennis Yost, lead singer of the 1960s group the Classics IV, has died in an Ohio hospital. He was 65.Yost died Sunday (December 7, 2008) at Fort Hamilton Hospital in Hamilton, about 30 miles northwest of Cincinnati. He died of respiratory failure, hospital spokeswoman Marielou Vierling said.

Dennis Yost & the Classic IV - Golden Greats - `69 - Imperial Records
MP3 @ 320 kbps - w/ high rez scans - ALL TRAX FROM WAX

1. everyday with you girl
2. spooky
3. 24 hours of loneliness
4. mary ,mary row your boat
5. something i`ll remember
6. change of heart
7. stormy
8. traces
9. sunny
10. strange changes
11. waves
12. soul train

DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

The Thorns - - 2003 - Sony Records

this is a bit different than my usual postings , but still pretty obscure & is transferred from wax still !
shawn mullins , pete droge & matthew sweet together for the CSNY in modern times.
in fact any fan of Crosby, Stills & Nash ,The Byrds , America , Bread , George Harrison , or Tom Petty will dig this one !
killer harmonies & songs. i really love this lp , its a real grower. dont listen to the naysayers , these songs are epic & timeless.

aka`



The history of rock is scattered with the wreckage of supergroups who turned out to be less than super (and one or two who turned out OK). The Thorns were built in the tradition of the supergroup, though the members are actually less than superstars. Two of the three Thorns, Pete Droge and Shawn Mullins, are best known as one-hit wonders (1994's "If You Don't Love Me, I'll Kill Myself" and 1998's "Lullaby," respectively), while the third, Matthew Sweet, has had a career with one great album (1991's Girlfriend) and a few uneven ones. From their soaring vocal harmonies, chiming guitars, classic rock songs, and plaintive lead vocals, the obvious comparison to make is that the Thorns are a junior-league Crosby, Stills & Nash or a more earnest Traveling Wilburys (with whom they share drummer Jim Keltner). Indeed, comparisons to classic rock acts come easily: America, the Beach Boys, Bread, Crosby, Stills & Nash (no Young), Fleetwood Mac, the Jayhawks (whose "Blue" the band does a near note-perfect cover of on the album), and Tom Petty are clearly influential. The Petty comparison is particularly useful because over half the songs on The Thorns sound like they could have shown up on a recent Tom Petty album. "Long Sweet Summer Ground," "No Blue Sky," and especially "Runaway Feeling" have the straight-ahead, chunky rhythm of late-period Petty, as well as the chiming guitars and, above all, the drawled, laconic vocals (Droge at times sounds like he's channeling Petty's voice). That reliance on late-period Petty gets wearying, and it sounds at times like the threesome were more interested in replicating a classic rock band than producing any classic tracks. The most successful songs are those that either embrace their influences so fully that they become glorious reproductions or those that dispense with the idol worship altogether. In the first category is "Think It Over," a sure hit for CSN or America if they had recorded it in the late '60s or early '70s that glides along on lush harmonies and a resigned yet hopeful lead vocal, underpinned by a graceful back-porch rhythm and some Beach Boys-style bass harmonica. It also benefits from what many of the songs here lack, a memorable melody. In the second category are two Sweet songs that venture to interesting places outside the group's somewhat restricted sound. "Thorns" is a fun and bouncy garage rocker that has a bit of attitude and fun; the backing vocals are a real kick. "Now I Know" is a near a cappella song with the group vocals backed by restrained strings. The harmonies, as they are throughout the entire record, are beautiful, and the song is quite affecting and unique. The Thorns have a warm and inviting sound, with entrancing harmonies, but too often there's no substance behind the sound. In fact, despite the good songs and decent performances, it's difficult to escape that classic letdown-by-a-super(ish)group-again feeling.

The Thorns - - 2003 - Sony Records - MP3 @ 320 kbps
ALL TRAX FROM WAX

1. Runaway Feeling
2. I Can't Remember
3. Blue
4. Think It Over
5. Thorns
6. No Blue Sky
7. Now I Know
8. Dragonfly
9. Long, Sweet Summer Night
10. I Told You


DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

Leon Russell & Marc Benno - Asylum Choir II , `72 Shelter Records

I remember this LP as a child. my mum had it. good stuff , although not as good as the debut , still very enjoyable... salty candy prob my fave here.

aka`


Initially kept in the can until Leon Russell started hitting his stride in the early '70s, Asylum Choir II is an artifact from 1967-1969. This was a fertile time for music. All the popular themes of the times show up here: protests of the Vietnam war in Down on the Base and Ballad for a Soldier; notes on the political scene and corporate profit-making in the face of the war in Sweet Home Chicago, Tryin' to Stay Alive, Lady in Waiting, and Straight Brother; and, of course, love in Hello Little Friend (which would later prove a hit for Joe Cocker when Leon was running that show). The tracks sound fairly dated in part because many songs were so topical.
Although Leon Russell is credited as contributing bass, guitar, piano, keyboards, vocals, and being the producer while Marc Benno is credited as a performer and producer, the music does not suffer from the "Winwood" syndrome, which occurs when one musician tries to do everything and the resulting product sounds flat and uninspired. Quite the opposite, the music, for the most part, is jaunty and full-bodied.
For example, on Straight Brother, the sound is a rich pastiche of fiddle, wah-wah, percussion, bass, and some great vocals from, I would guess, Rita Coolidge (set up in the Intro to Rita). Which also begs the question: who else is making some uncredited guest appearances? I find it hard to believe the late Carl Radle only served as a photographer and never plugged in his bass here. Could one of the drummer Jims (Gordon or Kneltner) be sitting in, too? No doubt, there are quite a few uncredited performers lurking on this recording, perhaps uncredited because of contract issues.
Russell, who was just gaining his musical footing about the time this album was orginially recorded, wrote some great lyrics and sings with great verve. His vocals, veering from ragged to howling, still can conjure chills on Straight Brother. And his keyboard playing is articulate and quirky, a harbinger of what was yet to come.

Leon Russell & Marc Benno - Asylum Choir II , `72 Shelter Records - MP3 @ 320 kbps w/ high rez cover scans
ALL TRAX FROM WAX !


1.Sweet Home Chicago
2.Down On The Base
3.Hello Little Friend
4.Salty Candy
5.Tryin' To Stay 'Live
6.....intro TO Rita
7.Straight Brother
8.Learn How To Boogie
9.Ballad For A Soldier
10.When You Wish Upon A Fag
11.Lady In Waiting

DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

George Harrison - Wonderwall Music -`68 - Apple Records

Fancy finding a copy of this that is still playable !
well , i did & here it is !
enjoy

aka`

The first Beatle solo album -- as well as the first Apple album -- was a minor eruption of the pent-up energies of George Harrison, who was busy composing this offbeat score to the film Wonderwall as Magical Mystery Tour raced up the charts. With the subcontinental influence now firmly in the driver's seat, the score is mostly given over to the solemn, atmospheric drones of Indian music. Yet, as a whole, it's a fascinating if musically slender mishmash of sounds from East and West, everything casually juxtaposed or superimposed without a care in the world. Harrison himself does not appear as a player or singer; rather, he presides over the groups of Indian and British musicians, with half of the cues recorded in London, the other half in Bombay. The Indian tracks are professionally executed selections cut into film cue-sized bites, sometimes mixed up with a rock beat, never permitted to develop much. Touches of Harrison's whimsical side can be heard in the jaunty, honky tonk, tack piano-dominated "Drilling a Home" and happy-trails lope of "Cowboy Museum," as well as a title like "Wonderwall to Be Here." Occasionally, the overt footsteps of a Beatle can be heard: "Party Secombe" is a medium-tempo rock track that should remind the connoisseur of "Flying"; "Dream Scene" has Indian vocals moving back and forth between the loudspeakers over backwards electronic loops. As this and Harrison's second experimental release, Electronic Sound, undoubtedly proved, pigeonholing this Beatle was a dangerous thing.

George Harrison - Wonderwall Music -`68 - Apple Records - MP3 @ 320 kbps
ALL TRAX FROM WAX !

1. Microbes
2. Red Alady Too
3. Tabla and Pakavaj
4. In the Park
5. Drilling a Home
6. Guru Vandana
7. Greasy Legs
8. Ski-Ing
9. Gat Kirwani
10. Dream Scene
11. Party Seacombe
12. Love Scene
13. Crying
14. Cowboy Music
15. Fantasy Sequins
16. On the Bed
17. Glass Box
18. Wonderwall to Be Here
19. Singing Om

DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

The Turtles - The Battle of the Bands - `68 - White Whale Records

the turtles cover the gamet in styles here. truly a talented band , this one includes the hits elenore , & you showed me !
enjoy

aka`



I remember first hearing this album in the late 70's, and from the very beginning I knew I was hooked.

12 songs, 12 different artists, all performed by The Turtles.

This band had such a diverse lineup of singers and creative forces that an album like this had to happen for them.

Too bad the mindset at the label was hostile, demanding results and hits, but meanwhile there was internal band/manager problems and with that pressure, this was the result, and as another Amazon reviewer said perfectly, it's the American version of both The Beatles' "White Album" & "Sgt. Peppers'" as they were both concept albums and very musically forward.

Here's the 12 tracks:
1. The Battle of the Bands, by 'The U.S. Teens featuring Raoul' - very introductory, lets the listener know he or she is in for a big treat, kinda like the opening of Sgt. Pepper's, but not as noisy
2. The Last Thing I Remember, the First Thing I Knew, by 'The Atomic Enchilada' - very trippy, very sixties, but I think this was the intention, to let everyone know they are part of that whole hip stuff, too
3. Elenore by 'Howie, Mark, Johny, Jim & Al' - the anchor song of the whole album. A bit of history first: their label, White Whale, wanted another hit record like "Happy Together" a year back, so to get the label off their backs, Howard Kaylan wrote a novelty song he knew they wouldn't like - he wrote it as a joke expecting them to immediately reject it, and to add insult to injury , he deliberately reversed the chord progressions of "Happy Together" and then added dumb lyrics like "you're my pride and joy, et cetera" and "gee I think you're swell," even rhyming "groovy" with "movie". However, even the band was surprised that the label loved it so much it was released as a single and it went to #6. Strange...
4. Too Much Heartsick Feeling by the 'Quad City Ramblers' - Some good old-fashioned Austin Texas country music here, complete with drippy corny lyrics, slide guitar and a spoken solo in the middle of the song - "honey, I want you, and I believe you want me toooooo"... perfect.
5. Oh, Daddy! by "The L.A. Bust '66" - progressive rich White boy blues, with Chippy asking Daddy to bail him out of the joint on a "trumped-up" drug charge. The song is actually pretty good lyrically and is one of the better upbeat drug tunes out there, complete with an New Orleans jazz band celebrating his release at the 1:46 mark.
6. Buzzsaw by 'The Fabulous Dawgs' - Heavy guitar fuzz and a Hammond organ scream throughout this slow burner - then the chorus - "Buzzzzzzz sawwwww..." - a quick song, complete with a DJ screaming that after a "pause for the cause" there'll be more.
7. Surfer Dan by 'The Cross Fires' (actually the name of the band is a tip of their hats to their past, as Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman from The Turtles' first started in a surf band in the early 60's as "The Crossfires from The Planet Mars") - as The Beatles had their tribute song to the Beach Boys with "Back In The USSR", so The Turtles paid tribute to not only their past but to the whole surf rock genre with what has to be the ultimate surf rock song! It has cool cars, cool kids, cool lyrics, with the music and singing and the spirit all just right. One of the best tracks on the album.
8. I'm Chief Kamanawanalea (We're the Royal Macadamia Nuts) by 'Chief Kamanawanalea and his Royal Macadamia Nuts' - his has got to be one of the strangest yet most put together jam songs ever constructed. The title alone is a pun, a dirty joke and a come on all at the same time! It's one of the strange songs that segue to another song, kinda like they way The Beatles "Revolution #9" did.
9. You Showed Me by 'Nature's Children' - very sixties, with a very well created mellow vibe. You can hear violins and cellos and electronic organs all meshing and mixing together. This song was a follow-up hit for them after the monster of 'Elenore'. It's actually very sensual, lyrically too.
10. Food by 'The Bigg Brothers' - It seems more like a grocery list of everything the band had eaten until a sudden break in the music, and then a recipe for pot brownies is introduced! It seems that the lists of bookend the pot brownie only let us know they had the munchies before and after, and the sound of Alka-Seltzer takes us home!
11. Chicken Little Was Right by 'Fats Mallard and the Bluegrass Fireball' - very sunny bluegrass country music indeed, but with strange sinister undertones about the actual kidnapping of the sky. Very wild.
12. Earth Anthem by 'All' - according to an Wikipedia entry, "The final song, "Earth Anthem", was notably recorded at 3:00 A.M. by candlelight, to capture the exact mood the Turtles wanted." I have to admit, it seems as if the band, instruments and all, were drifting off into space as they floated above us and everyone else's problems.

The album is short at under 45 minutes, but it's cohesive, fun, and thought-prevoking on some levels.

Even though many bands were trying to re-create the sound of the very first REAL original concept album, 1966's "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys (and a year later the formentioned Beatles albums), this album comes the closest to being that answer from another room, and if you've heard "Pet Sounds," too you know that I'm right!

(Now if you want to go way back, if you listen to the inspiration for "Pet Sounds" - The Beatles' "Rubber Soul" - then you'll get where I'm coming from as far as REAL musical progression, not just one-upmanship on the Beatles part in 1967 and '68.)

In the final analysis, if you gave me a choice for something that challenges me versus something that has been listened to over and over and over until the meaning behind it is lost, I say give me the Turtles and give me "The Battle of The Bands."
[ John J. Martinez - amazon]

#1 The Battle of the Bands (Harry Nilsson, Chip Douglas) – 2:14 (The U.S. Teens featuring Raoul)
#2 The Last Thing I Remember, the First Thing I Knew – 2:55 (The Atomic Enchilada)
#3 Elenore – 2:31 (Howie, Mark, Johny, Jim & Al)
#4 Too Much Heartsick Feeling – 2:43 (Quad City Ramblers)
#5 Oh, Daddy! – 2:45 (The L.A. Bust '66)
#6 Buzzsaw – 1:59 (The Fabulous Dawgs)
#7 Surfer Dan – 2:42 (The Cross Fires)
#8 I'm Chief Kamanawanalea (We're the Royal Macadamia Nuts) – 1:34 (Chief Kamanawanalea and his Royal Macadamia Nuts)
#9 You Showed Me (James McGuinn, Gene Clark)– 3:16 (Nature's Children)
#10 Food – 2:40 (The Bigg Brothers)
#11 Chicken Little Was Right – 2:47 (Fats Mallard and the Bluegrass Fireball)
#12 Earth Anthem (Bill Martin) – 3:54 (All)


DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

Leon Russell & Marc Benno - Asylum Choir - Look Inside , `68 Smash Records

Pretty groovy LP by leon & bro , marc benno. is icicle star tree the coolest song u never heard or what ? ! :) 2nd LP on da way as well !
enjoy !

aka`

long-lost Psychedelic album from 1968 by this duo featuring Leon Russell. Poised between his past as a top Wrecking Crew session man (Phil Spector, The Byrds, Sonny And Cher) and assistant to Liberty A&R head Snuff Garret, and his future as a '70s Rock superstar, Russell teamed up with his Texas Psych buddy Marc Benno to work with Gene Clark, Harpers Bizarre and Gary Lewis in their new studio. In between sessions, they created this unusual and breathtaking album. A great lost nugget by one of the major Rock superstars!

Leon Russell & Marc Benno - Asylum Choir , `68 Smash Records - MP3 @ 320 kbps
w /high rez cover scans - ALL TRAX FROM WAX

1. Welcome to Hollywood
2. Soul Food
3. Icicle Star Tree
4. Death of the Flowers n
5. Indian Style
6. Episode Containing 3 Songs: NY Op/Land of Dog/Mr Henri the Clown
7. Thieves in the Choir
8. Black Sheep Boogaloo


DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

Morning Glory - Two Suns Worth - `68 , fontana

rare psych pop gem here on fontana lable. in the vein of early jefferson airplane !
digg in kids.

aka`


California group Morning Glory released one album, 1968's Two Suns Worth, that was heavily influenced by Jefferson Airplane and the Mamas & the Papas, particularly in its female-male vocal blends. More psychedelic than the Mamas & the Papas, and poppier than the Airplane, it featured lead vocals by Gini Graybeal on a set of almost entirely original material, the majority written by bassist/rhythm guitarist/singer Bob Bohanna (though some other members contributed in that regard as well). Producing was Abe "Voco" Kesh, most known for his work with Blue Cheer.

Lineup:

Gini Graybeal (vocals)
Bob Bohanna (bass)
Larry Gerughty (organ)
Daniel NuDelman (lead guitar)
Allen Wehr (drums)


side 1)

1.) Need Someone (Bob Bohanna) - 4:28
2.) I Cry (Bob Bohanna) - 2:34
3.) Hey Little Girl (Bob Bohanna) - 2:22
4.) Stone Good Day (Bob Bohanna) - 4:00
5.) Even When I'm Up I'm Down (Daniel NuDelman) - 5:20

(side 2)

1.) Jelly Gas Flame (Daniel) - 4:38
2.) I See a Light (Daniel NuDelman - Gini Graybeal) - 3:12
3.) Live For Today (Bob Bohanna) - 3:12
4.) Point Of No Return (Larry Gerughty) - 5:02
5.) So Glad Being Here (Bob Bohanna) - 3:37


DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

Neon - s/t - `70 - Paramount Records

This is a rare psych pop lp , produced by tommy james & king. some really great stuff here , much in the vein of early tommy james. i know this has been posted recently as well , but here it is again , lol.

aka`


“Their prime claim to fame seems to rest with the fact their 1971 debut album was produced by Tommy James and Bob King (the pair also handled musical arrangements and contributed one song to the set). "Neon" is actually a surprisingly good heavy rock album, with Crabtree penning the majority of the material, the set offered up a nice blend of guitar rock (”Mountain Baby“ - ignore the ponderous drum solo) and more commercial moves (check out the Tommy James and the Shondells-styled harmonies on ”Hold Back My Tears”). Personal favorites were the band's cover of James' “Dark Is the Night“ (always liked that 1960s sitar sound), the rocker ”Can't Stop Myself (From Loving You)” and the mildly psychedelic “Magic Man”. Listening to the album a couple more times, the set sounds like something The Shondells might have done had the ever elected to go for a tighter, AOR audience - that's meant as a compliment.


Neon - s/t - `70 - Paramount Records -- MP3 @ 320 kbps , w/ high rez scans -- ALL TRAX FROM WAX !

1.Mountain Baby
2.Hold Back My Tears
3.Dark Is The Night
4.Can't Stop Myself (From Lovin' You)
5.Magic Man
6.Nobody Nowhere
7.Funny Kind Of Feelin'

DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --

The Moray Eels Eat the Holy Modal Rounders - `68 - Elektra Records

OK kids , here is some tasty vintage psych ! sure doesnt get much more "far out" than this one my good friends. a bit left of center for my taste , but super cool none the less ! This is one is hard to come by as well these days .... grab it while its hot !
aka`


In the mid- to late '60s you couldn't get much further underground in the ever-expanding world of rock music than the Fugs -- unless of course you were one of the Holy Modal Rounders, i.e. folk musicians Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber. The Rounders started out in the same early-'60s New York folk and jug scene as Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, and had crossed paths numerous times. Stampfel and Weber will be eternally remembered for "Bird Song," which was prominently featured in both the movie Easy Rider and its soundtrack. It's also the opening cut on The Moray Eels Eat the Holy Modal Rounders, an album way beyond anything else considered to be "far out" at the time. Released in 1968 on Elektra, the 13 tracks are highlighted by such otherworldly compositions as "Werewolf," "My Mind Capsized," "The STP Song," and "Half a Mind." Unabashed in its own eccentricity, this set is similar to their 1967 ESP release Indian War Whoop in that it combines acoustic traditional American folk, blues, and hillbilly music regurgitated by crazed folkie acidheads experimenting with electric instruments. Following the disc's release, Stampfel said this album reflected producer Frazier Mohawk's musical taste more so than the band's. The Modal duo are assisted, in this case, by playwright Sam Shepard on tambourine, Richard Tyler on piano, and John Wesley Annis on bass and drums. As good luck would have it, the Water label unleashed this CD on the public for the first time in 2002 with two previously unreleased bonus tracks. Absolutely essential.

The Moray Eels Eat the Holy Modal Rounders - `68 - Elektra Records
MP3 @320 kbps , w/ high rez sacns -- ALL TRAX FROM WAX !

1. One Will Do for Now

2. Take-off Artist Song

3. Werewolf

4. Interlude

5. Dame Fortune

6. Mobile Line

7. The Duji Song

8. My Mind Capsized

9. Interlude 2

10. Half a Mind

11. The Pledge

DOWNLOAD : -- HERE --