Janis Ian – Between The Lines (Featuring “At Seventeen”)
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Label: Columbia / PC 33394 | Release: 1975 | Genre: Country-Ballad
This is Janis Ian’s second album from her re-emergence in the early to mid-’70s as one of the genre’s most inspired and original singer/songwriters.
While this title houses Ian’s biggest international hit, the confessional “At Seventeen,” the entire effort combines her honest and confessional lyrics with an equally engaging blend of pop/rock and definite jazz and blues. She assembled much of the same ensemble that had worked on her previous long-player, Stars (1975), and much of the material retains the same warmth and intimacy in both her craft as well as the presentation. Unlike the more somber and introverted tracks that dominate Between the Lines (1975), the disc commences with a prime example of Ian’s infectious coziness on the light and airy “When the Party’s Over.” This is one of the title’s more straightforward love songs and features an appropriately lilting counter-harmony from Dennis Pereca. More typical are the somewhat dark and oblique “From Me to You,” “The Come On,” and the despairing title track. Darker still are “In the Winter” and the abject loneliness of “Tea and Sympathy” — both of which feature some engaging arrangements courtesy of famed arranger/conductor Ron Frangipane, whose clients include Melanie and Townes Van Zandt as well as both John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Underlying the heady orchestration and truly at the center of Ian’s skill are her emotively powerful yet reserved melodies. This was undoubtedly a factor in “At Seventeen” becoming a Grammy winner as well as a chart-topping single stateside and a Top 20 hit throughout much of Europe as well as more disparate locations such as Israel. The strength of material and public interest garnered by Between the Lines would continue on her next equally powerful long-player, Aftertones (1976). This album is a recommended starting point for potential enthusiasts, as well as a touchstone to be repeatedly revisited.
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Gryphon – Gryphon
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Label: Transatlantic Records/TRA 262 | Release: 1973 | Genre: Progressive-Folk
A complex and enjoyable medieval influenced folk romp. There’s plenty of modern interpretation.Kemp’s Jig isn’t a jig. Sir Gavin Grimbold heads off on hies horse with his sword, but the horse returns without the brave rider leaving his pregnant wife and mother with a barn to build and the crops to cut … Johnson the valiant one of three butchers stops to aid a woman’s cry only – part of a highywaymen’s trap. he stands his grounds and kills 9 of the 10 before the woman takes the knide form his side and stabs him in the back. A hue & cry is rasied and she is taken to Newgate in irons for klling the finest butcher ” as ever the sun shone on”
The Unquiet Grave is a tradiitonal song about a young man mourning over the grave of his lost love.
Astrologer: hilarious harlot playing the maid gets her cummupence and the astrolger gets a crown. Hmm not many tracks have three part recorder breaks in them. A medieval Golf Girl. The Devil and the Farmer’s Wife exhibits a similar sense of humour.
I love it. One of those albums that’s not just great listening but guaranteed to cheer you up.
An excellent additon …..
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Gabriel Et Marie Yacoub – Pierre De Grenoble (Pre-Malicorne)
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Label: Barclay / 920 429 | Release: 1973 | Genre: Progressive-Folk
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection.
MALICORNE was founded in 1973 by French singer/guitarist Gabriel YACOUB and Marie YACOUB, after having recorded an album together (Gabriel Et Marie Yacoub – Pierre De Grenoble). With several other musicians, MALICORNE released approximately 10 albums between 1973 and 1986. The band’s speciality was French traditional (i.e. folk) music, but revamped and updated with a fresher, more progressive format. Besides guitars and bass, the musician’s played a wide variety of instruments, with focus on early wind and string instruments (crumhorns, recorders, violins, rebecs, dulcimers, harmoniums, autoharp, saxophone, hurdy-gurdy, etc.) Brian GULLAND of the band GRYPHON even joined the band for the recording of “Le Bestiare” (roughly meaning “The Animals”). Although the vocals are in native French, they are very listenable (perhaps more so than vocals in Italian, German, Spanish). So fans of GRYPHON, STEELEYE SPAN, GENTLE GIANT, PFM, and maybe VDGG might enjoy this band.
The later albums by the MALICORNE are the high points, taking advantage of improved sound quality due to improvements in technology, and also a rockier approach. Earlier albums had mostly percussion and little drums. But starting with 1979’s “Le Bestiare”, the band maintained a drummer to beef up the sound. 1981’s “Balancoire en Feu”, and 1986’s “Les Cathedrales de L’Industrie” are the band’s true masterpieces.
Recommended for those who enjoy listening to atypical instruments, exotic melodies, and folk tendencies.
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Focus – Moving Waves (Featuring “Hocus Pocus”)
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Label: Sire / SAS 7401 | Release: 1971 | Genre: Symphonic-Rock
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music.
I remembered way back as a kid hearing “Hocus Pocus” on the radio, this must be around 1979 or 1980, on the FM dial. Around 1989, I heard this song again and found out it was “Hocus Pocus” and the group was called FOCUS. I thought that was silly to have a song title that rhymes with the group’s name. I thought it was a rather ingenious mixing of heavy metal and yodeling.
When my interest in prog rock was on the rise around the early ’90s, I was wondering if it was worth trying FOCUS, and once I got to hear “Moving Waves”, I was not disappointed.
The album was entitled “Focus II” in Holland, but elsewhere, it’s known as “Moving Waves”. This album is definately an improvement over “In & Out of Focus”. The vocal pop-oriented material of that album have been totally dropped. Original members Hans Cleuver and Martijn Dresdin had left the band to be replaced by drummer Pierre van der Linden (ex-BRAINBOX, which Jan Akkerman was a member of, by the way) and bassist Cyriel Haversman. The other two guys, who helped make FOCUS what they were, were guitarist Jan Akkerman and keyboardist/flautist Thijs van Leer. “Hocus Pocus” was actually an unintentional hit for the band, and in fact wasn’t a hit in the United States until 1973, that is, not until even after their following album, “Focus 3” was released. The band thought the song as little more than a joke, but were forced to play it after it became a hit. And yes, it’s true, this song is not typical for FOCUS, but I still think it’s a truly wonderful song. “Le Clochard” is Jan Akkerman’s time to shine, a laid-back piece played on classical guitar (with nylon strings) and nice use of Mellotron in the background. “Janis” is a flute-dominated piece from van Leer. The title track is a piano-dominated piece, and the only song with any singing, showing that Thijs van Leer isn’t the best vocalist out there. It’s still a nice piece with a classical feel. “Focus II” is a jazzy piece with Jan Akkerman’s trademark lead guitar. The album’s crowning achievement, in my opinion, is the epic “Eruption”. It starts off rather mellow, dominated by Hammond organ and lead guitar. They also do a cover of a song from another Dutch band called SOLUTION in this song, in the “Tommy” section of the suite. Halfway through is a really intense and mindblowing rocking piece dominated by guitar and organ. Somewhere the band steals a LED ZEPPELIN riff (“Whole Lotta Love”) before they mellow out with nice use of piano. There’s also a really dramatic Mellotron passage, and then a nice drum solo from Pierre van der Linden. Previous themes on this suite resurface. Without a doubt, I feel Moving Waves is by far the best album FOCUS ever done, and this is the album you should start if you’re not familiar with FOCUS.
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Focus – In And Out Of Focus
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Label: Sire / SAS-7404 | Release: 1970 | This Issue: 1973 | Genre: Symphonic-Rock
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection.
It’s amazing and fascinating to know how FOCUS were (and still are) popular in Brazil. They are good and really deserved that distinction but I also realize that their first output came in a moment that part of the younger generation was eager to some new sounds, experiences and perspectives – a new focus, indeed. Those kids that became teenagers in late 60s had received musical information coming from BEATLES, MOODY BLUES, PROCOL HARUM, early FLOYD and CRIMSON, and so they were naturally looking for novelties, a niche filled amongst other by FOCUS.
“In And Out Of Focus” has a fair content of progressiveness, nothing really spectacular but with the exact dosage to amuse many, myself included. Their sound shows several directions and influences: hard and pop-rock, European jazz, psych & space, folk & erudite and even some of then recent acts like JETHRO TULL. All together could produce a tasteless and confusing salad but the result is agreeable since the production got to separate their backgrounds clearly.
The album begins and finishes with the same track, the band namesake song ‘Focus’, being the first provided with vocals and the later instrumental only – a catchy and soft tune much more in the romantic pop vein with some real rock passages. Vocals in English could have been weird if that was one’s native language however for a non-English speaker it sounded interesting.
‘Black beauty’ rocks pleasantly and a certain smell of 60s pop-rock may be felt while ‘Sugar Island’ blends Latin and psych tunes – either songs are not remarkable but are perfectly hearable. ‘Anonymous’ is a fine and real progressive track, the varied atmosphere changing associated with nice musicianship makes this one of the best album moments. This song has also some segments which in the future will shape FOCUS signature.
‘House of the king’ (not in SIRE issue) opens lovably the last part of “In And Out Of Focus”. The short song was a hit and became a band’s standard. ‘Happy nightmare’ brings back the vocals, together with catchy folk and jazz tunes – not special but nevertheless hearable. ‘Why dream’ is simply an average non-skipable track with psych spices.
FOCUS debut album is the starting point for a lengthy and successful career that should be not overlooked when diving into the band’s discography. “In And Out Of Focus” could be a plain good album however the legend of FOCUS recommends it as a meaningful addition for all music collection.
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Eric Burdon & War – The Black-Man’s Burdon (Featuring “Píntelo Negro II”)
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Label: Liberty / LBS 83 475/76 X | Release: 1970 | Genre: Fusion Blues-Rock
The Black-Man’s Burdon is a double LP by funk band Eric Burdon and War, released in December 1970 on MGM Records. It was the second of two albums by the group before Burdon left and the remaining band continued as War.
The title is a pun on The Black Man’s Burden, an expression which refers to black slavery, used as the title of a book by E. D. Morel (1920) in response to the poem, “The White Man’s Burden” (1899) by Rudyard Kipling, which refers to (and champions) American imperialism (including its history of slavery).
The album includes two suites based on cover versions of songs by other artists: “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones, and “Nights in White Satin” by The Moody Blues, augmented by additional sections composed by the group. (Two similar suites appeared on the group’s first album.) The extra material is mostly instrumental, except for “P.C. 3” (P.C. referring to Police Constable, a common abbreviation used in the United Kingdom), a risqué poem recited (and probably written) by Burdon over the music. Two other songs include a children’s chorus credited as Sharon Scott and the Beautiful New Born Children of Southern California.
One single from the album was released: “They Can’t Take Away Our Music” backed with “Home Cookin'”.
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Donovan – What’s Bin Did And What’s Bin Hid
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Label: Pye Records / NPL 18117 | UK Release: 1965 | Genre: Country-Folk
This is Donovan’s first LP, came out on the market and was the first album I heard from him. You understand that I’ve a deep affection.
Certainly am young age understood the similarities between Donovan and Dylan, but tell me do you think that any reputable artist was not inspired by other renowned artist? I believe that every great artist has received some influence.
This Donovan’s LP is a gem, and it’s a pity that didn’t follow this path of country-folk (without ignoring his brilliant psychedelic legacy.)
So, ladies and gentlemen, I leave you with Donovan.
Donovan – Universal Soldier
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Label: Marble Arch Records / MAL 718 | UK Release: 1967 | Genre: Country-Folk
Previously I talked about to the country-folk era from Donovan (an era that I revere), and which are 3 LPs exactly: “What’s Bin Did And What’s Bin Hid” (1965), “Fairytale” (1965) and that I present today “Universal Soldier” (1967), which is not exactly an official LP, because is a compilation of various singles that appeared between his two first albums.
And it is really interesting because there are different versions of their well known folk hits. For example, here appears one version of “Catch the Wind” accompanied by an
String orchestra, also the first take of “Colours” monophonic with harmonica. A very good album, is one of my favorites.
Ah! Put attention to the interpretation of a song by Bert Jansch “Do you hear me now”, really good.
David Gates – First (Featuring “Suite: Clouds, Rain”)
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Label: Elektra / EKS-75066 | Release: 1973 | Genre: Country-Rock
The first solo David Gates’s album. This LP is great from start to finish and shows that the group “Bread” was David Gates, 5 tracks on this album are indispensable, led by the famous “Suite: Clouds and rain” as a child listening to this song made me dream (and still does, I am a child yet, heh). Good mix of country, pop and rock.
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Buck Clayton – The Complete CBS Buck Clayton Jam Sessions 1953-1956 (1993) {200g 8LP BOX Mosaic}
Vinyl rip @ 24/96 | FLAC(tracks) – 6.79 Gb | Full Scans – 57 Mb | Label: Mosaic Records
Genre: Jazz | Rec. CAT #MQ8-144
The Complete CBS Buck Clayton Jam Sessions (extremely rare & limited 1993 US 32-track Mosaic audiophile 8-LP box set) is a superlative package contains all the jam session recordings for CBS, plus alternate takes and originals restored to their full length, with soloists including Joe Newman, Ruby Braff, Urbie Green, Coleman Hawkins, Woody Herman & more. Housed in a beautifully presented textured outer black box with front pasted picture cover, complete with an informative 20-page LP sized booklet, featuring stunning black & white session photographs and extensive liner notes). (more…)
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Coupé Cloué – The Preacher
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Label: Mini Records / MRS 1062 | Release: 1978| Genre: Martinique-French Antilles
An enigmatic guitarist and singer, Coupé Cloué acquired this nickname (translated as “kickout”) from his prowess on the soccer field. He is famous, or rather notorious, for his lyrics containing sexual double-entendres, long “raps” ranging from risqué to romantic, and social satire.
His “compas mamba” (peanut compas) seem very African, with a guitar style resembling West African highlife and the use of Cuban bongo drums and bamboo tubes played with sticks in addition to the standard conga and drum kit. Appearing on many album covers wearing African clothing, Coupé Cloué, with his shaved head, cuts a striking figure. This may explain why he was given the title “Le Roi” (the king) when he played in the Ivory Coast, West Africa, in 1975. Of all the electric Caribbean bands, Coupé Cloué has the strongest African sound, which shows the strength of his roots, for he claims he never heard African music before his 1975 trip. Son Haiti: Best of Coupe Cloue was released in 1999 by Arcade.
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Bob Dylan – Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (Featuring the smash hit “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”)
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Genre: Counrtry-Folk/Soundtrack | Label: Columbia PC 32460 | Release: 1973
Today I move to the ‘Far West’, heh, heh. Nothing less than the teacher-poet and the most influential country-rock singer of the last century: Bob Dylan. For this, I checked in my collection and not to repeat what others have shared (a round of applause for them), I took this great soundtrack (curiously little known). My edition is the original, that the letters in ‘dry stamp’.
Well, I saw this movie, being a bit slow maintains interest. Good performance, James Coburn (Pat Garrett) is remarkable. Besides acting another singer Kris Kristofferson (Billy the Kid) appears and. .. Dylan, as a certain ‘Alias’.
After seeing the movie I immediately went to buy the LP … and get 5 seconds later, one buyer is between his fingers. Another story, there arose a great friendship.
Music: great, great melodies (yes, Dylan is an excellent composer). Well and not less that this LP appears one of the great Dylan’s song “Knockin ‘on Heaven’s Door”. Who owns the press, already has an important part of the venerable Bob Dylan discography.
Black Widow – Sacrifice (Featuring “Come To The Sabbat”)
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Label: CBS / S 63948, CBS / 63948 | Release: 1970 | Genre: Heavy-Progressive
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music.
I got acquainted by this band a very long time ago. A friend of mine lend me once a CBS compilation called Fill Your Head With Rock in 1971. One song of theirs was featured (I guess that you all can imagine which one).
The opening track In Ancient Days is a mix of psychedelia combined with heavy keys. Invading brass can be heard as well. Such a song might sound outdated but it is always a pleasure to listen to. It is very much in the style available during that period. I quite like the song.
When you would listen to the most famous piece from this album, you will notice some evident Tull influences. There are fine fluting, good harmony and hypnotic rhythm: all this being topped by some now famous lyrics. I have loved this track instantly; at the time (I was twelve years old) the lyrics remained alien to me, but I was already attracted by, let’s say, a special mood. This is the second highlight.
This album is a long blend of heavy sources (bass and brass combined with strong drumming) and more sophisticated (prog) moments.
The most delicate in the genre is Seduction which starts very gently. Almost a pastoral affair: the sweet fluting is definitely providing this lighter aspect and the use of some orchestrations only adds to the feeling. An instrumental and jazzy part takes the relay at half time but the psyche taste is still noticeable. The song beautifully ends as it had started: almost Trespass-esque. Another good song after all.
This album is rather pleasant: no weak tracks are to be found and it should be appealing to the ones interested in the early seventies. Heavy psychedelic? Maybe. But prog for sure (Attack Of The Demon).
The closing track also has a lot to share with Tull (who released Benefit the same year as this album). The backing band is excellent and I am quite found of the great fluting during the middle part. The whole song (over eleven minutes) is an ode to heavy music. It is a solid boogie track and it is is a great way to close. It is my preferred track of this album. Seven out of ten. OK, I’ll upgrade it to four stars.
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Barclay James Harvest – Everyone Is Everybody Else (Featuring “For No One”)
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Label: Polydor / 2383 286 | UK Release: 1974| Genre: Progressive-Rock
About ‘Barclay James Harvest,’ I can safely say they’ve 2 works to the best progressive rock I have ever heard and are the following: I am presenting today ‘Everyone Is Everybody Else’ and the double live LP called ‘Barclay James Harvest – Live ‘, both published in 1974, a key date for me.
In ‘Everyone Is Everybody Else’, BJH debut on Polydor. I well remember how it got this LP in my hands, I went to a shop specializing in all rock’s types to buy the double LP “Live”. On that day the salesman LP awarded a gift, nothing less than ‘Everyone Is Everybody Else’! It was an excellent day and the music of this LP is round. Excellent arrangements, exquisite Mellotron use (which instrument, Lord). BJH without great voices achieve proper harmony with those features of the Beatles at times.
The songs left in 1st. rise to ‘For no one’, beautiful, I think here all his BJH’s genius. Another I like is ‘See me see you ‘,’ Negative Earth ‘,’ Paper wings’, also of course ‘Child of the universe’.
In fact, any big hits are three or four songs on this album.
Well, well! is the word.
Ambassadeurs – Best Of Ambassadeurs
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Label: Celluloid / CEL 6640 | FR Release: 1983 | Genre: African-Roots
In 1973 Salif Keita joined the group, Les Ambassadeurs. Keita and Les Ambassadeurs fled political unrest in Mali during the mid-1970s for Abidjan, Ivory Coast and subsequently changed the group’s name to “Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux”. The reputation of Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux rose to the international level in the 1970s, and in 1977 Keita received a National Order award from the president of Guinea, Sékou Touré.
He is the father of Paralympian athlete Nantenin Keita.
Keita moved to Paris in 1984 to reach a larger audience. His music combines traditional West African music styles with influences from both Europe and the Americas. Musical instruments that are commonly featured in Keita’s work include balafons, djembes, guitars, koras, organs, saxophones, and synthesizers. In 1990, Keita contributed “Begin the Beguine” to the Cole Porter tribute/AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Blue, produced by the Red Hot Organization.
Keita found success in Europe as one of the African stars of world music, but his work was sometimes criticised for the gloss of its production and for the occasional haphazard quality.[citation needed] However, shortly after the turn of the Millennium he returned to Bamako in Mali to live and record. His first work after going home, 2002’s Moffou was hailed as his best album in many years[citation needed], and Keita was inspired to build a recording studio in Bamako, which he used for his album M’Bemba, released in October 2005.
Guest artists on his albums have included Weather Report founders Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter, drummer Paco Sery, guitarist Carlos Santana, and percussionist Bill Summers.
Keita’s album, La Différence, was produced around the end of 2009. The work is dedicated to the struggle of the world albino community (victims of human sacrifice), for which Keita has been crusading all his life. In one of the album’s tracks, the singer calls others to understand that “difference” does not mean “bad” and to show love and compassion towards albinos like everyone else:”I am black/ my skin is white/ so I am white and my blood is black [albino]/…I love that because it is a difference that’s beautiful…”, “some of us are beautiful some are not/some are black some are white/all that difference was on purpose…for us to complete each other/let everyone get his love and dignity/the world will be beautiful.”
La Différence is unique in that for the first time Keita has clearly and boldly combined different melodic influences to produce a highly original musical feel, with a wide range of appeal[citation needed]. The album was recorded between Bamako, Beirut, Paris, and Los Angeles. This unique musical feel is reinforced by soulful pitches in the track “Samigna” emanating from the trumpet of the great Lebanese jazzman Ibrahim Maaluf.
La Difference won Keita one of the biggest musical awards of his career: the Best World Music 2010 at the Victoires de la musique.
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