Zager & Evans - s/t `70 - RCA Victor Records

Hey all :

from the duo that gave us "2525" here is thier 2nd LP.
this one a bit trippier than the debut , i dont think
it got very good reviews , but i really like it. AMG
slammed it , but what do they know , ha ?
i know its very scarce. let me know what you think ~

• Zager & Evans - `70 - RCA Victor Records
• "ALL TRAX FROM WAX"
• transferred by da` shaman - 2007
• MP3 @ 320 - 70 MB
• * includes high rez cover scan & inner lyrix art

• 1. overture
• 2. in my house
• 3. during rem
• 4. reginald ludwig
• 5. the plastic park
• 6. the candy machine
• 7. mister turnkey
• 8. she never sleeps beside me
• 9. crutches
• 10. listen to the people

DOWNLOAD : -- here --

Magna Carta - Seasons - `70 - Dunhill Records

hey all :

ok , here is a request that i think you`ll enjoy. reminiscent to me of early moody blues & other folk/pop psych of the day. very very good LP , enjoy !

"Magna Carta's second LP was dominated by the 22-minute, nine-part suite "Seasons," which took up all of side one. "Seasons" was indeed a grand conceptual work inspired by the changing of the seasons. Its laudable ambition apart, it's pretty ordinary, mild pop-influenced early-'70s British folk-rock. There's a dated preciousness as it varies the pace slightly from jolly full-band good-time folk-rock and pastoral harmonizing to twee fairytale-like narration and almost pop-like orchestration. The six standard-length songs on side two can strike an almost too-cheerful pop-folk bounce, with soft rock orchestration and harmonies that make it vaguely reminiscent of American sunshine pop at points. Simon & Garfunkel are an obvious influence, too, on songs like "Give Me No Goodbye" (overlaid with slight sitar licks), "Scarecrow," and "Elizabethan," though Magna Carta could make Simon & Garfunkel sound almost heavy in comparison. The closing "Airport Song," which was plucked from the LP as a shot for a hit single, goes furthest into pop with its bossa nova beat and easy listening arrangement, though the Simon & Garfunkel influence in the vocal harmonies is nearly overwhelming. This pretty undistinguished pop-folk-rock effort was paired with their third album, Songs from Wasties Orchard, on a 1999 single-disc CD reissue that also included historical liner notes." - AMG

• Magna Carta - Seasons - `70 - Dunhill Records - 320 kbps
  
• "ALL TRAX FROM WAX" transferred by da` shaman - 2007
• sorry lp cover not fit to scan
  

• 1. Prologue
• 2. Winter Song
• 3. Spring Poem
• 4. Spring Song
• 5. Summer Poem
• 6. Summer Song
• 7. Autumn Song
• 8. Epilogue
• 9. Wintersong (Reprise)
• 10. Going My Way (Road Song)
• 11. Elizabethan
• 12. Give Me No Goodbye
• 13. Ring Of Stones
• 14. Scarecrow
• 15. Airport Song

download -- here --

Tommy Roe - Phantasy - `67 - ABC Records

hey all :

ok , here is a psych pop gem from `67. member`s of gary ushers millennium project play on this... great production & melodies , tho i am sure tommy was jumpin on he psychedelic bandwagon here , alot of the songs really capture the innocence & excitement of the day. this is one of my faves , tho the sucrose content is charged & is best in smaller doses.

aka`

• Tommy Roe - Phantasy - `67 - ABC Records - 192 kbps
  

• 1 - paisley dreams
• 2 - plastic world
• 3 - melancholy mood
• 4 - visions
• 5 - mystic magic
• 6 - little miss sunshine
• 7 - these are the children
• 8 - goodbye yesterday
• 9 - the executive
• 10 - the you i need
• 11 - its gonna hurt me

download -- HERE --

Blue - `73 debut - RSO Records - 320 kbps

hey all :

here is another lost classic lp , imo.
not much on these guys , but maybe they will comment here , haha.
found a bit of info on AMG. really nice pop rock with touches of beatles , bee gees , perhaps eric carmen over seeing it all ; great stuff - fave song by far "i wish i could fly" , listen to this one 1st ...:)!

Blue was a British pop/rock group formed in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1973 by Timmy Donald (b. 1946, Bristol, Avon, England) (drums), Ian MacMillan (b. 1947, Paisley, Strathclyde, Scotland) (bass, guitar, vocal), and Hugh Nicholson (b. 1949, Rutherglen, Strathclyde, Scotland) (guitar, vocal, keyboard). Signed to Elton John's Rocket Records label (John also produced them), they released their self-titled debut album, then added Robert "Smiggy" Smith (b. 1946, Kiel, Germany) (guitar) for their second, Life in the Navy. They were then reorganized, with MacMillan and Nicholson remaining and adding Charlie Smith (drums) and David Nicholson (guitar). This lineup scored a U.S. singles chart entry and U.K. Top 40 hit with "Gonna Capture Your Heart" and recorded the third album Another Night Time Flight (1977) and the fourth album Fool's Party (1979), after which Blue broke up.

• Blue - `73 debut - RSO - 320 Kbps - 85 MB
  
• includes high rez front / back cover art

• 1 - Red Light Song
• 2 - Look Around
• 3 - Someone
• 4 - Sunset Regret
• 5 - Timi's Black Arrow
• 6 - Sitting on a Fence
• 7 - Little Jody
• 8 - Let Me Know
• 9 - I Wish I Could Fly
• 10 - Skye Banana Boat Song
• 11 - The Way Things Are
• 12 - Sunshine or Falling Rain

DOWNLOAD - -- HERE --

Tommy James - `71 - Christian of the World

hey all :

ok , here is the 2nd tommy james solo LP. this one is epic as well. bob king & TJ sure crafted some gems here. it has his biggest solo hit , draggin` the line here , i didnt even know that when i bought it. a kewl surprise.. the hope & inspiration that is embedded in these grooves , is still relevant today , if no more so.........enjoy !
[ LP does have christian themes , but none of it comes off as "preachy". more spiritual than religious , the lyrics & total feel to me is ; "inspirational , uplifting , & moving" ] ... aka






AMG Review :
Bruce Staple had the honor of engineering both Tommy James and ex-members of the Shondells for their respective Roulette solo projects (except for James' brilliant My Head, My Bed and My Red Guitar, which featured the work of Nashville's Scotty Moore). All of the solo albums by Tommy James show a sparkle and understanding of the magic that makes for great pop recordings; it is absolutely a shame he did not rival Elton John for supremacy of the charts in the '70s. "Bits and Pieces" has a riff taken straight out of Phil Spector's Crystals songbook ("Then He Kissed Me," if you must know), while "I Believe in People" is everything Motown was searching for in the '70s when they signed the Four Seasons and Lesley Gore. There is a smoothness and continuity to all of Tommy James' work, both with the Shondells and on his own. Ritchie Cordell, who almost single-handedly wrote the entire I Think We're Alone Now album, co-writes "Church St. Soul Revival" with Tommy James; it is the only one of the 13 titles not co-written with Bob King and it is absolutely brilliant. So is "Another Hill to Climb," but on another level. On the Cordell co-write, the Stephentown Singers are pure gospel, the definite sequel to "I'm Comin' Home," while the choir gives this Bob King co-write that powerful pop Melanie Safka utilized on her smash "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)." The lyrics are overpowering; much of the sentiment is the antithesis of the psychedelic "Draggin' the Line." "Adrienne" almost seems like an ode to Tommy Roe, his "Sweet Pea" all grown up. The genius of Tommy James is that along with his perfect radio voice and ability to construct and deliver hits, he knows how to nick riffs right and left and reformulate them to suit his compact pop essays. Christian of the World is another top-notch Tommy James album; despite the two final Top 40 hits he received until he switched labels, it has not received the critical acclaim it deserves. It's extraordinary, from the opening track to "Silk Satin, Carriage Waiting." Again, Tommy James should have been battling Elton John throughout the '70s the way the Beatles and the Rolling Stones went back and forth on the charts. The world is a lesser place because these recordings did not get the additional airplay they so richly deserved. Christian of the World is a very strong argument for a four-CD Tommy James boxed set.

ALL TRAX FROM WAX !

• Tommy James - Christian of the World - `71 - Roulette - 320 kbps - 71mb
• includes high rez front & inner art

• #1 - Christian Of The World
  
• #2 - Kings And Things
  
• #3 - I'm Comin' Home
  
• #4 - Sing, Sing, Sing
  
• #5 - Draggin' The Line
  
• #6 - Sail A Happy Ship
  
• #7 - Light Of Day
  
• #8 - Bits And Pieces
  
• #9 - I Believe In People
  
• #10 - Church St. Soul Revival s
• #11 - Another Hill To Climb s
• #12 - Adrienne
  
• #13 - Silk, Satin, Carriage Waiting

download
-- here --

Its a small world after all

hey all :

i dunno how many of you read the comments here. recently i got a great comment from a band member of an obscure band i posted , the band is fringe benefit.
1st i got a comment from the drummers son , then the singer/guitarist son , then the bass player himself ! this is one great comment , one that inspires me to keep the blog alive & keep on keepin` on.
its hard to believe that a small blog such as this could garner the attention of the bands within it , but i guess truth is stranger than fiction after all , eh !?
thanks so much chris haines for your comment & may your music live forever man !
here is the comment..... feel free to comment on the comment , lol......:)

*******

Hello Good Akashaman

I am the older, balder and significantly more ruggedly handsome version of The Bass Player who magnetically etched the original counter-melodies into the lower register of these imperfect recordings as a mere baby.

In short, Chris Haines, Bass & bvs. at your service . . .

I am delighted that this gem of my formative years is at last achieving the recognition it deserves.

Notwithstanding the passings of time and the consequent ebbings-away of familiar familiarities, I would nonetheless vouchsafe an indication that Sir John Jones, Earl 'Dave' Gray & Dame Steven Laurie might be equally chuffed.

If not indeed more so.

We done the demo of AIV in my mum's front room in the house my dad built for us in Corfe Castle.

We went to Willesden to record the album for Lee Gopthal (ex Trojan Records)& Clive Crawley's 'Blue Eyes Productions' company at Morgan Studios.

The album was eventually released in N.America alone through Capricorn.

All the singles were leased to various record companies for release in many territories worldwide.
(One or another went Top Ten in Switzerland, South Africa & Wisconsin USA!)

'All In Vain' was released by Polydor in UK. A-listed on BBC Radio One, and 'PowerPlay' on Radio Luxemburg, it made the national chart at no. 41 in the hot July of 1976. We were warned of impending Top Of The Pops TV treatment. And myself still barely out of the Babygro...

... then came massive personal crashings beyond any seventies-band-of-geniuses' control...

... The British Market Research Bureau pulled all Polydor singles from their chart on summary charge of suspected 'payola' in their kangaroo court - not open to the public - nor to appeal.

Had this not happened, the substantial and burgeoning sales would have jetted Sir John Jones' Fringe Benefit to Number One, and history would be magnificent . . .

All In Vain?

Watch this space.

Thanks to all who like what we did.

Love, light, respect.

Chris Haines.

Tommy James - `70 solo debut - Roulette Records

oh you didnt know tommy james did any psych stuff eh ? you think he was all radio-pop ??? - hahahaha !!!! - soak on this one then mr. seen it all , know it all.
so here we have tommy james `s debut solo outing. very solid debut , only 8 trax but no filler here. real melodic , psych pop at its best , by the forerunner of the craft.
& you thought tommy james wasnt kewl ?

tommy james came roaring back with his first solo album, 1970's Tommy James. It features the hit song "Ball and Chain" and seven other songs that were not a great departure from the sound he had with the Shondells: up-tempo songs with big hooks, great vocals (lead and background), and a slightly psychedelic feeling. Tracks like the driving "Ball and Chain," the anthemic "Come to Me," and the pounding, bubblegum-tasting "I Lost My Baby" are as good as anything James had done recently. The only track where he stumbles is on the attempted hard rock boogie of "Quicksilver." Some people just aren't meant to rock that way -- and James is one of them. The most interesting tune on the record is "Meet the Comer," which sounds musically like the downer version of "Crystal Blue Persuasion," but is actually the beginning of James' shift to uplifting religious themes that would really blossom on his second solo record......
A very cosmic/psychedelic album cover has seven black-and-white Tommy James heads coasting over what looks like an acid trip, rainbow behind him, colors dripping upwards. It's the opposite of the black-and-white psychedelic look of the Cellophane Symphony album and the first of James' three final albums for Roulette. If we are to take the discs as three chapters, this one is Tommy James and Bob King proving that Tommy James was the Shondells. "Ball and Chain" is poppy and intense, the Velvet Underground gone bubblegum. Clearly, drugs had some influence on Tommy James' work, and where his ex-bandmates took a stab at the third Velvet Underground album with their Hog Heaven track "Come Away," "Ball and Chain" from the first Tommy James solo album sounds like it is an outtake from the Velvet Underground's Loaded CD. "Meet the Comer" has bits of Neil Young's "Helpless," all gone pop, of course. Tommy James' reformulation of pop riffs he would create or nick kept the majority of his albums highly listenable. It's a real gift to tune in and grab melodies from the cosmos, and rest assured, memorable hooks and special sounds are all over these grooves. "Midnight Train" continues the party, making this a very underground pop album. No hit single emerged until Bob King and James put the Christian of the World album together. That effort was certainly more commercial and refined, but this Tommy James solo debut has merit, integrity, and inspired insanity. "Come to Me" leads off side two, and it is the lost sequel to "Sugar on Sunday," the big hit for the Clique which first appeared on the Crimson & Clover album. "Come to Me" has a choir of backing vocals and should've been a smash with its flavors of past glories enhanced with a new bridge. Wonderful stuff. As the first part in his solo trilogy, Tommy James pays tribute to Tommy Roe, Billy Joe Royal, and even Bobby Sherman, but shows them all how a pop album is crafted and how Tommy James is the genuine article. It's perhaps the most experimental of all his projects, more cohesive than Peter Lucia and Mike Vale's Hog Heaven, and sets the stage for the refined Christian of the World and the reverent and very satisfying Nashville recording My Head, My Bed and My Red Guitar. Where a song like "Quick Silver would be out of place on those aforementioned titles, it fits perfectly on this descent into a pop maestro's psyche. An enlightening project, and like many of Tommy James' other artistic endeavors, tragically overlooked.

[ christian of the world is NEXT ! ]

• "ALL TRAX FROM WAX" - transferred by da` shaman - 2007
  

• Tommy James - `70 debut - 320 kbps - 55 mb
• includes high rez front/back cover art

1. Ball And Chain
2. Meet The Comer
3. Midnight Trian
4. Light Of Day
5. Come To Me
6. I Lost My Baby
7. Lady Jane
8. Quick Silver

download -- here --

Aka covers the Beatles - I am the Walrus

i thought i would start putting up some new tracks i do here for feedback.
since most of you are avid music buffs , & probably musicians , this shouldnt be too hard..:)
let me know what ya think either way , studio tips / recoding hints would be great.
i mix & play on monitors , so might have EQ probs , please let me know thanks.
this is my insane take on the beatles classic , "i am the walrus". it`s not as embellished as the original - but then again , i am no george martin !

enjoy

aka`

download -- here --

Stories - `72 debut - Kama Sutra

hey all :
ok , as promised here is the debut stories LP. this is a great LP , if you have never heard it , you are in for a real treat. more left banke than "about us" , thier 2nd LP.

amg review :
by Richie Unterberger

The Stories' first album is gentler, and closer in mood to the Left Banke, than the subsequent Above Us, which is good news for Left Banke fans. Although the quality of the Brown-Lloyd compositions is uneven, it's generally good, though the songs are a bit modest and self-effacing. It's at its best when Brown whips out those classical/baroque keyboard and melodic flourishes that were among his trademarks since the Left Banke days. Sometimes it's on the edge of the tuneful hard rock style the Beatles and Badfinger essayed on mid-tempo numbers in the late 1960s and early 1970s. At other times there's almost a harder rock-vaudevillian meld, somewhat in the style of the late '60s Kinks. It was pretty out of step with most of what else was going on in rock and pop in the early -70s, and not even too well known to power pop revivalists, although to be honest this is on the fringe of power pop since it emphasizes keyboards and dainty ballads more than electric guitars and cheerful up-tempo tunes. Still, it's well worth rediscovery by fans of pop/rock with unusual and inventive melodies and vocal harmonies.

**Please visit Ian Lloyd @ Ian Lloyd for NEW music & a rare , limited 3 track EP that is availiable now...Ian has re recorded brother louie even & it will be released soon as well. -- thanks ~


Stories - `72 debut - Kama Sutra - 70MB - 320 kbps

1. hello people
2. i`m coming home
3. winter scenes
4. step back
5. you told me
6. st. james
7. kathleen
8. take cover
9. nice to have you here
10. high & low

download @ -- here --

Fringe Benefit - S/T - `77 - Capricorn Records

hey all :
sorry its been so long since i have thrown you kids a bone. been super busy. i think i can make it up to you with this new offering.
wow is all i can say. i found this lp about a week ago , never heard of them before nor i have i ever seen this LP to my recollection.
the band is called fringe benefit & the singer / guitar player is named john jones.
there are two covers on this , leonard cohen`s "suzanne" & the elvis`classic "all shook up" , the former being brilliant & while the latter is just ok , imho.
but the rest of the lp is all original with every song a gem. just fantastic stuff..
i wanna say its more power pop than anything but there are not a ton of guitars. they remind of " ian lloyd`s "stories" project from the 70`s , you know ; brother louie !...... :)
so if you dig that , you`ll love this !
as far as i am concerned i found a lost classic , please let me know what YOU think about this one... !

aka

• Fringe Benefit - `77 - Capricorn Records - 75 MB - 320 kbps
  
• includes front cover high rez scan

• 1 - all in vain
• 2 - darling
• 3 - was god an astronaut
• 4 - wanna be with you
• 5 - suzanne
• 6 - patterns
• 7 - all shook up
• 8 - when she`s next free
• 9 - the ballad of phylis prewitt
• 10 - let a light shine

download -- here --

The Hook - Hooked - `68 - UNI

hey all :

ok , here`s some fuzz & organ for you... just found this one - pretty heavy in the iron butterfly vein i would say. anything on the UNI label is great in my book. bit heavier than my usual taste , but i know its scarce - so i hope you enjoy.
dont have much on these guys but it features Bobby Arlin from the Leaves, Bobby Sklar, Dennis Provisor & Dale Loyola. - These guys rock ~

• "ALL TRAX FROM WAX" - transferred by da` shaman - 2007 - 67 MB
• includes high rez scans , band inner art & photo
  

• The Hook - Hooked - `68 - UNI
  

• 1. Go
• 2. You're Lookin' Fine
• 3. There's Magic In The Air
• 4. Son Of Fantasy II
• 5. Hook Can Cook
• 6. Love Theme In E Major
• 7. A Beautiful Tomorrow
• 8. You Need People
• 9. All Around The World
• 10. You Don't Have To Say

download -- here --

Zebra - 3.V - `86

hey all :

you guys trust the the shaman by now huh ? :::)
every now & again you know i like to catch you guys off guard. some might remember zebra for thier epic hit in the 80`s "who`s behind the door". this is thier 3rd lp. i think its more solid than thier debut. maybe this is what zeppelin would have sounded like had they made it into the 80`s & went more in a pop direction ?!
this one is a grower , give it a couple spins !

heres a review from AMG :
Taking a cue from the almighty Zeppelin on the numerical album title, Zebra bestows a most un-Leded offering. 3.V is mastermind Randy Jackson's last-ditch effort to conquer civilization through his New Orleans power trio; a wise and distinct musical mural depicting the delectable joy of living beyond drugs and despair. The insular production (along with Hanemann's keys) may be off-putting, but once inside 3.V, "He's Making You the Fool," "Your Mind's Open," "Better Not Call," and "Hard Living Without You" rank as some of the best songs ever written in any regard. Following Geddy Lee's lead, Jackson tones down his banshee wail and delicately weaves these masterworks around his powerful pipes, resulting in a (shudder) heavy metal Bee Gees (much cooler than that sounds). Jackson scats, scolds and soars, always keeping things tight. Like the deceptively simple title indicates, 3.V has that certain something extra: more than an album, 3.V opens the mind of an unheralded genius.

Signed Zebra Promo shot i found in debut LP !



Zebra - 3.V - `86 - 320 kbps - 75mb

1. Can't Live Without You

2. He's Making You the Fool

3. Time

4. Your Mind's Open

5. Better Not Call

6. You'll Never Know

7. About to Make the Time

8. You're Only Losing Your Heart

9. Hard Living Without You

10. Isn't That the Way

download -- here --

Jigsaw - s/t - 1975 - Chelsea Records

hey all :

here is yet another installment in my "killer one hit wonder lp`s". this means of course that beyond the bands "one hit wonder" song , the lp is actually quite good & usually never heard. i have already posted , others : climax , pilot , stories , etc. -- many more to come

anyway , here is the band "Jigsaw" , this LP is from 1975 & the song "sky high" was a huge hit w/ much radio play. yes , quite an ear worm this one.
very poppy , even tinges of power pop here & there. power pop fans will dig i am sure.... enjoy ~


"Jigsaw continued to make music and signed a new deal with independent UK label “Splash”, which was founded by Chas Peate (who would be the group's record producer). Their first single for their new label, entitled “Sky High”, was recorded for the film The Man From Hong Kong, a 1975 martial-arts action movie starring George Lazenby. The record company didn’t think the disco-infused song would be a hit, and therefore pressed only a couple of hundred promotional copies to satisfy contractual obligations. However, radio stations put it on playlists, causing the label to issue it commercially, and it made the UK Top 10. Chelsea Records released it in the USA (where Splash had no pressing plants) and it was also a hit there, going to #3. It charted all over the world and was #1 in Japan.

Their album “Sky High” also sold very well, especially in Japan. Their next single “Love Fire” was another hit, although not in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, 'Love Fire' was followed by two new albums, one for the British market called “Pieces of Magic” and another for the American market, the eponymous “Jigsaw”."

• Jigsaw - s/t - 1975 - 256 kbps - 56 mb
• includes high rez front cover scan

• 1 - sky high
• 2 - thats the way it goes
• 3 - listen to the joker
• 4 - love fire
• 5 - mystic harmony
• 6 - have you heard the news
• 7 - mention my name
• 8 - baby dont do it
• 9 - tell me why
• 10 - i`ve seen the film , i`ve read the book
• 11 - call collect

download -- here --

The Lovin` Spoonful - Everything Playing - `68 - Kama Sutra

hey all :

gotta love these guys. i have all thier lp`s , but i really like
this one the best. it has alot of experimentation on it & some
great songs , by sebastian.
this was thier last lp i believe.
enjoy ~

REVIEW :
"The Lovin' Spoonful's fourth album, Everything Playing, was made under trying circumstances. Musically, the Sgt. Pepper/Summer of Love era had made the Spoonful's good-time, jugband approach obsolete, and chief songwriter John Sebastian had to try to keep up. Personally, the group had suffered the disaster of a drug bust that resulted in the departure of lead guitarist Zal Yanovsky, who was replaced in August 1967 by Jerry Yester. Despite these problems, Sebastian was able to turn out a good album paced by its three Top 40 hits, "Six O'Clock," "She Is Still a Mystery," and the deceptively comic "Money," in which he castigated financial aspects of the music industry. Also excellent were "Boredom" and "Younger Generation," which Sebastian later would sing at Woodstock. When Sebastian wasn't at the mic, the singing could be mediocre, and the group was often all over the map in its attempt at musical sophistication, but the record was saved by Sebastian's writing and singing. Then he too jumped ship." - AMG

• "ALL TRAX FROM WAX" - transferred by da` shaman - 2007
• Lovin Spoonful - Everything Playing - `68 - 58 mb - 320 kbps
• includes high rez front/back cover scans !
  

• She Is Still A Mystery (3.01)
• Priscilla Millionaira (3.13)
• Boredom (2.25)
  
• Six O'Clock (2.43
• Forever (4.23)
• Younger Generation (2.42)
• Money (1.55)
• Old Folks (3.05)
  
• Only Pretty, What A Pity (3.030)
• Try A Little Bit (3.06)
• Close Your Eyes (2.47)
  

download -- here--

LOBO - Best Of - `74

hey all :
here is some great soft rock from the early 70`s.
everyone knows the "me & you & dog named boo" song huh ?
some other great stuff on here. this one was a request ..
not one i would get to probably , but great none-the-less !
enjoy~


LOBO - Best Of - `74 - Phillips - 320 kbps - 93 mb
"ALL TRAX FROM WAX" - transferred by da` shaman - 2007
*includes front cover scan

1 - i`d love you to want me
2 - armstrong
3 - i`m the only one
4 - rock n roll days
5 - rings
6 - she didn`t do magic
7 - don`t expect me to be your friend
8 - me & you & a dog named boo
9 - a simple man
10 - standing at the edge of the line
11 - it sure took a long , long time
12 - a little different
13 - how can i tell her
14 - goodbye is just another word


download -- here --

Free Design - Kites Are Fun - `67

hey all :
here some great lite psych pop. some of the tightest harmonies around -- this stuff is super sweet , so be careful.
fans of true cali sunhsine pop will dig , enjoy ~


"In 1967, this sibling act was signed to Enoch Light's soft jazz label. Spearheaded by chief songwriter and arranger Chris, they produced six beautifully crafted albums of contemporary pop for the label. Though none of their albums sold many copies, they are now considered one the best groups to come out of the sunshine pop era along side groups like The Association and The 5th Dimension. In 2000, they reunited for the critically acclaimed album Cosmic Peekaboo. Acts such as Stereolab, Cornelius...

"Are they just a weird, clueless close-knit family of music nerds? Or are they clever, self-aware geniuses who saw a need for ridiculously gleeful "psychedelia lite"? Is this kitsch or is this camp? If it's camp, is it intentional camp, or is it perceived camp? And does it even matter??? It's fun, beautiful, innocent and soooo dated. I'm talking ironed hair, bell bottom polyester slacks and turtle necks with fringe vests dated. They seem so sincere and committed to all this desperate optimism - helps you understand why cults were so big in 1967. Three talented siblings singing relatively complex arrangements, living somewhere in between The Swingle Singers and The Brady Bunch. Sometimes they have a social conscience with groovy lingo ("The Proper Ornaments"), while sometimes they just trip out on things like a swarm of colorful umbrellas snarling traffic ("Umbrellas" - dig that drum solo!) I got this even though I already had 5 of these songs on their Best of... CD, and I'm glad I did - it reveals a more cohesive, relaxed and intimate group than I thought they were. I need bliss, man. Screw Uncle Bill - let's fly a kite." - [ Zeke - rateyourmusic.com ]

"blow your mind , but not completely - make the madness stop !"

• Free Design - Kites Are Fun - `67 - 2003 reissue light in the attic records - 73 mb - 320 kbps
• "ALL TRAX FROM WAX" - transferred by da` shaman - 2007
• includes high rez front/back/inner scans

• 1.) Kites Are Fun
• 2.) Make the Madness Stop
• 3.) When Love is Young
• 4.) The Proper Ornaments
• 5.) My Brother Woody
• 6.) 59th Street Bridge Song
• 7.) Don't Turn Away
• 8.) Umbrellas
• 9.) Michelle
• 10.) Never Tell the World
• 11.) A Man and a Woman
• 12.) Stay Another Season

download -- here --

The Ship - A Contemporary Folk Music Journey - `71 [Gary Usher]

the one & only todd bradshaw today - thanks !


i got nothin` on these guy`s & this isnt really psych , but was produced by gary usher & is of a conceptual nature & came out in `71.... (-_-)
great epic storyline about a journeys at sea , & all that that entails.
more folk/rock than anything & not too far removed from CSNY , really catchy tracks tho , that definately grows on you. pretty scarce as well. let me know what ya think !it comes in at just under an hour , so this one is @ 224 kbps.
oh , & as all the songs ran together , you get two tracks : side I & side II ..:)


[ there is a bit of noise at 6:40 for a bit , had some pops that i removed & left it all a bit under par , so i appologize in advance for this , but the rest sounds great ! ]


bit of a review : thanks to dr. do-good !

"I'll readily admit to vacillating on this one ... I've played it quite frequently over the five years it's been in my collection and during that timeframe I've continuously flip flopped as to whether it's an undiscovered (and still affordable) classic, or simply a dull and plodding slice of early-1970s folk-rock. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle ground ...
Singers/guitarists Steve Cowan and Steve Melshenker got their start while attending the University of Illinois, Urbana. Playing dances and local clubs, the pair managed to generate some local buzz, somehow attracting the attention of producer Gary Usher, who helped the pair sign with Elektra Records. Produced by Usher and credited to The Ship, 1971's "A Contemporary Folk Music Journey" was a concept piece, though the plotline was largely lost on me (the gatefold inner sleeve has the lyrics for anyone interested in the story line). While nothing here was overtly commercial or toe tapping catchy, all eleven performances were engaging in a low-keyed fashion. Exemplified by material like 'The Ship', 'The Calm' and '' the songs were highlighted by interesting lyrics, strong melodies and some pretty CSN-styled vocal harmonies. A little bit self-concious and the occasional country touches were forgettable ('The Man'), but it was never less than pleasant, and if you played it in the right mood it was a true keeper."

NEW ship web site : the ship music

*steve melshenker [ 6 string guitar(2nd lead), vocals ]
*steve cowan [ 12 string guitar, vocals ]
*steve reinwand [ llead guitar . dobro , mouth harp , vocals
*mark hamby [piano , flute , vocals
*todd bradshaw [ 4 & 8 string bass ]
*with tim scott on cello

• "ALL TRAX FROM WAX" - transferred by da` shaman - 2007
• includes high rez front/back/inner lyrix scans ~ 86 mb - 224 kbps
  

• track I :
• the ship
• the order
• the innocence
• the man
• the calm
• the storm
• 
  
• track II :
• the lost
• the island
• the reason
• the return
• the ship

download [ NEW LINK ! ] -- here --

or
-- here --

The Alan Lorber Orchestra - The Lotus Palace - `67 - Verve

hey all :

not much i can find on this one , did not get very good reviews as far as i can tell, but this is a pretty kewl recording. tons of sitars & indian instruments throughout , all intrumental , no vox. has the infamous "vincent bell" on sitar & quite a few popular tunes of the day. pretty rare find , grab it while ya can :

• ALL TRAX FROM WAX - transferred by da` shaman - 2007
• The Alan Lorber Orchestra - The Lotus Palace - 320 kbps - 52 mb
• includes high rez front/back/inner scans

• 1 - up , up & away
• 2 - the flute thing
• 3 - lucy in the sky with diamonds
• 4 - hang on to a dream
• 5- roopaka dha teri dhin dhin
• 6 - within you , without you
• 7 - mas que nada
• 8 - the look of love
• 9 - where ?
• 10 - djellaba (the hooded one)

download -- here --

Tin Tin - Debut - `70 - Atco

hey all :

ok , that 2nd tin tin LP was just a teaser , here is the real deal~
if the beatles & bee gee`s ever had a kid , it would be made of tin.
this LP is epic in my book. some might be familiar with thier hit "toast & marmalade for tea" , other highlights include ;
swans on the canal , manhattan woman , she said ride , tuesdays dreamer , hell its all grand. another of my all time fave psych pop lp`s. enjoy ~



REVIEW :
"Tin Tin were an Aussie four-piece who formed in 1968 and had a strong Bee Gees connection, via the Gibb brothers' early success in their adopted country; Steve Kipner's father, Nat, produced their early work, and members of Steve's band played on their records. Maurice Gibb's patronage did Tin Tin no harm at all, of course, and he's credited as a band member on at least one issue of this album. Tin Tin is slightly harder-edged than you'd expect, all things considered, although they were never exactly going to rival Black Sabbath in the heaviosity stakes. 'Baroque pop' is possibly the best description I can think of, with tracks like Swans On The Canal and the instrumental Spanish Shepherd conjuring up images of lace cuffs and the like. Or maybe that's just me.

I've seen one source that lists not only Maurice, but also band members Steves Groves and Kipner as playing Mellotron, although there's no way of telling. There's a passable amount of MkII to be heard, with occasional string chords on Flag/Put Your Money On My Dog, brass on Nobody Moves Me Like You, more strings on the harpsichord-driven Only Ladies Play Croquet, a brass/strings mix (?) on Family Tree and finally, flutes on Come On Over Again. There's genuine orchestral accompaniment on a few tracks, too, notably Swans On The Canal, and I'm not sure if it's 'Tron or 'real' woodwind on Spanish Shepherd, so it's possible I've missed the odd bit of 'Tron.

So; something of a period piece, but not at all bad, and more listenable than most of the Bee Gees' work from the time. Again, reasonable Mellotron work, though not a classic. Worth hearing for fans of the era. There was a second Tin Tin album the following year, Astral Taxi, but I believe it's 'Tron-free. Incidentally, Toast And Marmalade For Tea was apparently a major hit for the band worldwide, and Steve Kipner went on to be a successful songwriter, still working today." -- [planetmellotron.com]

& did you know that :!?
Steve Kipner went on to greater "fame" as a songwriter (unfortunately not in the same vein) with hits such as Physical - Olivia Newton John, Hard Habit To Break - Chicago, Too Much Too Little Too Late - Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams, and Genie In A Bottle - Christina Aguilera !???? -- i know , "its crazy"

• ALL TRAX FROM WAX - transferred by da` shaman - 2007
• TIN TIN - DEBUT - `70 - ATCO - 320 kbps - 67 mb
• includes high rez scans of front / back covers + liner notes for astral taxi

• She Said Ride
• Swans on the Canal
• Flag / Put Your Money on My Dog
• Nobody Moves Me Like You
• Tuesday's Dreamer
• Only Ladies Play Croquet
• Family Tree
• Spanish Shepherd
• He Wants to Be a Star
• Toast and Marmalade for Tea
• Come on Over Again
• Manhattan Woman
• Lady in Blue

download -- here --

Tin Tin - Astral Taxi - `71 - Atco

hey all :

i give to you one of my fave psych pop lp`s i own. along with thier debut this is some really great stuff in the vein of early bee gees. maurice in fact produced & co-produced this stuff !
"i took a holiday" is my fave track here , one of the lovliest tracks i know of ~
these lp`s are super hard to find , i will get to thier debut next , with the infamous "toast & marmalade for tea" !
check out the last track on this "is that the way" for what i consider part II of "toast" , with the same crazy piano sound.
there is alot of variety on this lp , but most of it is very soft & flowing. you can tell this is from wax , but i cleaned it up rather nicely i think , let me know how it sounds !
enjoy `

all trax from wax , transferred by da` shaman - 2007

REVIEW:
Astral Taxi is an excellent second album from keyboard player Steve Kipner, guitarist Steve Groves, and their group, Tin Tin, whose 1971 Top 20 hit "Toast and Marmalade for Tea" actually sounded like a sequel to Marmalade's 1970 Top Ten hit "Reflections of My Life." The Scottish Marmalade was often confused with the Bee Gees, though Tin Tin had more reason to be -- not only did they really sound like the brothers Gibb, they shared the same manager in Robert Stigwood, the same record label in Atco, and Maurice Gibb was executive producer on this follow-up to their debut, Gibb having more hands-on involvement with the first disc. Both the title track, "Astral Taxi," and the second song, "Ships on the Starboard," would have been perfect on a Paul Kantner solo disc. Consider Aztec Two-Step in outer space. Steve Grove's "Our Destiny," on the other hand, is an orchestrated progressive rock instrumental. A heady philosophical essay accompanies the song credit, though the bandmembers don't get the same courtesy. Gerry Shury did the orchestral arrangements, Geoff Bridgeford is most likely on drums, and Johnny Vallins is probably part of the ensemble as well, but the lack of information on who is playing what is distressing for such a great recording and eventual historical artifact. Vallins contributes his songwriting skills to "Ships on the Starboard," "The Cavalry's Coming," and "Benny the Wonderdog." The songwriter also wrote the 1978 number one hit for Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams, "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late," along with Kipner's father, Nat Kipner. Steve Kipner and Steve Groves craft a poppy Moody Blues-type number in "Tomorrow Today" along with their producer, Billy Lawrie. Lawrie also co-wrote the final track, "Is That the Way," with the duo, its very Beatlesque elegance being one of the LP's many highlights. Astral Taxi is an enigmatic album for sure, but it works on every level. The more rocking "Jenny B." has horns and guitar battling it out toward the end, a departure from the rest of the music. This 1971 album has three of the guys on the cover photo (as well as on the inside gatefold), but none of their names accompany the faces. They weren't the Bee Gees just yet, nor were they going to be that visible, but when you add up Steve Kipner's Australian hit along with his smash songs for Olivia Newton-John and Chicago in the mid-'80s and include the Tin Tin composition written by Steve Groves, this band -- who was pretty much written off as a one-hit wonder/Bee Gees clone -- turns out to have had immense depth. "I Took a Holiday" will delight fans of the Bee Gees' song "Holiday"; it has their vocal style, charm, and string arrangements. Astral Taxi is a very pleasant album which should be a collectors' item within pop circles.

• TIN TIN - ASTRAL TAXI - 1971 - ATCO RECORDS - 68 MB - 320 kbps
• includes high rez front cover scan

• 1. Astral Taxi
• 2. Ships On The Starboard
• 3. Our Destiny
• 4. Tomorrow Today
• 5. Jenny B
• 6. I Took A Holiday
• 7. Tag Around
• 8. Set Sail For England
• 9. The Cavalry's Coming
• 10. Benny The Wonder Dog
• 11. Is That The Way

download -- here @ rapidshare

& . . . . . . -- here @ sendspace

Marmalade - Kaleidoscope - the psych pop sessions

hey all :

well , i got my links all set back up & now i can start posting new stuff.
here is yet another killer psych pop lp , tho this one i ripped from the cd.
band is "marmalade" & these are thier earlier tracks , right up there w/ the beatles , zombies , hollies & all other great bands from that era. all these tracks came out before thier one hit wonder "reflections of my life" , an LP which i will be posting soon !
enjoy this one !
[ next up , the lemon pipers & orpheus best of , both from cd`s as well ]

Marmalade - Kaleidoscope - the psych pop sessions - 2003/Castle - 224 kbps - 110 MB

1. I See The Rain (Single Version)
2. Kaleidoscope
3. Mess Around
4. Man In A Shop
5. Butterfly
6. Laughing Man
7. Its All Leading Up To Saturday Night
8. Otherwise Its Been A Perfect Day
9. Station On Third Avenue
10. Hey Joe
11. Mr Lion
12. There Aint No Use In Hanging On
13. Chains
14. Fight Say The Mighty
15. Mr Tambourine Man
16. Time Is On My Side
17. Dear John
18. And Yours Is A Piece Of Mine
19. Can You Help Me
20. I See The Rain (Album Version)

*NEW LINK ADDED [1-1-07]

download -- here @ mediafire

& . . . . . . -- here sendspace

The Dukes of Stratosphear - 25 O`Clock - 1985

hey all :


what can ya say on this one ? as most psych fans know , this is actually XTC incognito.
perfect neo-psych.
will do their second one as well soon.
all trax from wax ! -- enjoy , this one is great.

the dukes say its time
.. its time to visit the planet smile
.. its time the love bomb was dropped
...its time to eat music
...its time to kiss the sun
...its time to drown yourself in a soundgasm
...its time to dance throught he mirror
the dukes declare its 25 o`clock !

produced with love by john leckie , swami anand nagara and the dukes`
captured gently at chapel lane studios , hereford.

sleeve art - sir john johns
ink - the technicolor prophet of mars
trouble & type - the serif of knotting`em


REVIEW :

"After the total commercial failure of their last two album Mummer and The Big Express, XTC decided to try their hand at something a little different. Assuming the name The Dukes of Stratosphear and various different pseudonyms for themselves (Andy Partridge became Sir John Johns, Colin Moulding morphed into The Red Curtain, Dave Gregory became Lord Cornelius Plum and temporary member Ian Gregory adopted the name E-I-E-I Owen), the band set out to create an EP of songs based on the music of the 60s which they had grown up listening to.

It sounds like a fairly simple concept but the music the Dukes produced was not merely comedic parody in the vein of the Rutles. Although the bands sense of humour is prominent throughout, the songs that resulted from the project are superb and created with a great deal of love, care and respect for the artists they are inspired by. It's a lot more expert than a simple "Let's pretend to be the Beatles" sort of thing. Right down to muffled samples, backward sounds, hidden whispers and specific chords, each song is crammed full of references to bands of that glorious decade.
[ more here ]
-- source/rateyourmusic.com -- [ madmanmunt ]

• The Dukes of Stratosphear - 25 O`Clock [EP] - 1985 - Virgin Records - 320 kbps - 53 MB
• includes high rez front/back cover scans !

• 1 - 25 O'Clock
• 2 - Bike Ride to the Moon
• 3 - My Love Explodes
• 4 - What In the World?
• 5 - Your Gold Dress
• 6 - The Mole From the Ministry

download @ -- here --

The Stories - About Us - `73 [mike brown]

hey all :
here is yet another installment in my "killer one hit wonder" LP`s !
this one comes from mike brown & co. - "the stories" - mike brown some might know was the genius behind the left banke & created such masterpieces as "pretty ballerina" & "walk away renee". ya , there is some pedigree behind this one !the hit here is "brother louie" which barely even made it on this platter! 1`st pressings contain a 45 with the track & later it was added as the last track , side two but wasnt listed on inside cover w/ other trax ! i have never seen a copy with the 45 , but have seen some without the track altogether.

*noteworthy is the killer KICK DRUM sound at intro of brother louie , WOW , crank this one - also the interplay between the lead guitar & strings in louie as well ~ this is a spendid LP that power pop fans will love ~
this is thier second album -- mike brown (who quit the band before this album was done) and ian lloyd write some great material, and steve love really shines on guitar. the LP has more of a hard-rock feel, and the best cuts on here are "Darling", "Hey France", "Please Please", "Believe Me", and "Top Of The City". their hit "brother louie" is also on here, but that was cut after mike quit, and it has nothing to do with the band's style or sound. brian madey does good drumming on here too.
[ i also have the other two stories lp`s as well as the left banke`s pretty ballerina/walk away renee & ian lloyds solo LP`s ! all of which will be transferred soon - ].


**Please visit Ian Lloyd @ Ian Lloyd for NEW music & a rare , limited 3 track EP that is availiable now...Ian has re recorded brother louie even & it will be released soon as well. -- thanks ~




"all trax from wax" [tr] - transferred by da` shaman - 2006

• THE STORIES - ABOUT US - KAMA SUTRA - `73 - 256 KBPS - 63 MB
• includes front/inside cover high rez scans

• 1. Darling
• 2. Don't Ever Let Me Down
• 3. Love Is in Motion
• 4. Hey France
• 5. Please, Please
• 6. Changes Have Begun
• 7. Circles
• 8. Believe Me
• 9. Words
• 10. Top of the City
• 11. Down Time Blooze
• 12. What Comes After
• 13. Brother Louie

download -- here --

Spanky & our Gang - sunday mornin ` long version +

hey all :

ok , in lue of time constraints here are the two tracks not otherwise availiable
off the greatest hits lp , "everybody`s talkin" & the long version of "sunday mornin`" !
from sunday mornin : "your in for a rude awakening man , when the long hairs take over the world". . . . . :)

[ almost a thousand downloads on this one so far -- wow !! - will do the spanky LIVE LP soon , hang tough kidz ]

NEW LINK !

download -- here --

Climax - featuring sonny geraci - `72

hey all :
here is a lost classic from the 70`s. one of my first installments into my great "one hit wonder" lp`s. some of you older kids might remember the hit "precious & few" , well here is the full LP , very scarce & never released on cd. hard to pin down , but has elements of pop , soul & rock.
the horns & strings fight for their respective places in the sonic landscape while sonny wails over it all , sounding at times like a male facsimile of CHER.
Prog fans will enjoy the bombastic , rambunctious "merlin' , albeit edited version ..:(
this LP has something for everyone , i personally love the ballads. this is one my faves - a real grower - get it while its hot
great lyrics & thoughts throughout , very inspiring in this day & age.

lovingly transferred from the original vinyl by da` shaman.
"all trax from wax"

ENJOY `

[ more killer "one hit wonder" Lp`s coming soon - jigsaw , pilot , etc. ]



INFO :
Formed in 1970 in Los Angeles, California, Climax was a band most noted for their 1972 classic hit song "Precious and Few". Climax consisted of Marc Gordon, Larry Cox, John Stevenson, Walter Nims, and Sonny Geraci. The band is considered a one-hit wonder because no other releases gained much widespread success. However, Climax was not a typical "one-hit wonder". Lead singer Sonny Geraci, who was formerly the front-man for the 1960s garage rock band The Outsiders (of "Time Won't Let Me" fame), later sang on a number of hit studio recordings with other artists. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that keyboardist John Stevenson wrote the song "Rock and Roll Heaven." Climax decided to sell the recording rights to The Righteous Brothers who turned the song into one of the pop classics. Though "Precious and Few" was the band's only major hit recording, Climax has played a somewhat influential role in the wider arena of rock music.
One pressing of the LP has surfaced with 2 additional tracks, Hard Rock Group was inserted between Life & Breath & I've Got Everything and a 5:20 version of Park Preserve (Single was 3:47) was inserted between If It Feels Good-Do It and Merlin. Sonny Geraci has said that it was a first pressing. The record label didn't want the heavier songs on the album. Without them the only heavier song you get is Merlin which in turn was edited. (longer version unavailable) Apparently the original version of Merlin was between 5:30 and 6:00. Edited out was a longer, more drawn out intro and more than half of the original guitar solo. This version was shortened even before the first pressing. After Precious & Few's chart success, they wanted the album more AM sounding. The band was disappointed because they were more into the rock sound." -- WIKIPEDIA

• CLIMAX - FEATURING SONNY GERACI - `72 - 68 MB - 320 KBPS

• *includes high rez front/back/lyrix/images/ scans for you printer freaks , you know who you are !

• * 1 Life & Breath
• * 2 I've Got Everything
• * 3 Prelude
• * 4 Picnic In The Rain
• * 5 Face The Music
• * 6 Precious & Few
• * 1 It's Coming Today
• * 2 Rainbow Rides Are Free
• * 3 If It Feels Good-Do It
• * 4 Merlin
• * 5 Postlude
• * 6 Child Of December

download -- here --