Archive for May, 2008

Colin Blunstone “One Year”

| Baroque,Pop,Sunshine

One Year

The Zombies disbanded before their classic Time Of The Season smashed onto radio airwaves, and lead singer Colin Blunstone took to a desk job.

One year later, he grew tired of insurance or whatever it was and got back in the studio. Armed with fellow Zombs Chris White and Rod Argent as co-writers and producers, Colin managed to record what I consider the most precious record in my collection. One Year is a very, very special record to me, so much that it’s actually hard to even mention here.

Three tracks feature backing by the band Argent, and have a lite rock feel, but the rest feature Colin’s silken voice over a tightly arranged and dynamic chamber orchestra. She Loves The Way They Love Her kicks it off with the album’s full band sound. It takes some getting used to as it’s not quite Zombies and perhaps a little too produced, but believe me, this one will get you in the long run with its amazing melody and Colin’s excellent vocal work. The other rock band songs include Caroline Goodbye and Mary Won’t You Warm My Bed, both excellent, upbeat tunes. It’s the orchestra numbers that will get you on this record though. Songs like I Can’t Live Without You, Her Song, and Let Me Come Closer To You will simply murder you.

If you are in the market for records that grow on you more and more each time you listen, this was made for you. I wasn’t sure what to think about One Year when I finally tracked it down (luckily, it’s easily available these days) but after a few years with it, it is definitely one of my favorites, certainly in the top 20: a Sunday morning staple to last my life.

“Say You Don’t Mind”

:D CD Reissue | 2007 | Water | buy from amazon ]
:) Original Vinyl | 1971 | Epic | search ebay ]

Silver Apples (self-titled)

| Electronic,Psych

Silver Apples

Of all records that are considered “ahead of its time,” this may be the most in vogue contender. There are thousands of albums from the sixties that didn’t jive with the times, and many that are still too ahead of its time; what happens in the evolution of music since then determines what we consider to be the most influential. In terms of popular electronic music, nothing really touches what the Silver Apples started up in 68.

To best understand what the Apples are all about, you have to check the diagram in the liner notes. They are only a duo, comprising equally complicated setups: Danny Taylors’ expansive drum kit and Simeon’s boggling assortment of electronic treats. Several custom oscillators drone over sequenced looping bass lines, while tape machines implement found sound recordings (predicting the method of sampling and adding even more their legendary status). Taylors’ drumming seals the deal with programmatic beats that would influence kit players from Can’s Jaki Liebezeit to hip hop drummers like ?uestlove. The Silver Apples were staggeringly prescient in their technical setup, but perhaps even more influential was their use of the drone. Hypnotic and trance inducing, I can’t imagine any modern day electronic pop that shouldn’t show some allegiance to this groundbreaking record.

Period vocal stylings sometimes distract modern day electro fiends, but they are surely missing out. The tunework and lyrics are the match of most good psych records from the time, and this record consistently continues to blow minds just as hard today as it must have back then, to the few who listened. The new Phoenix vinyl reissue carries a pretty high price tag, but looks like its worth the price, limited to 1,000 copies. For those looking to dive in at cost, check out the MCA twofer CD reissue, which also contains their next album, Contact. Positively essential for electronic and psych listeners.

“Lovefingers”

:D CD Reissue | 1997 | MCA | w/ Contact | buy from amazon ]

East of Eden “Mercator Projected”

| Art,Prog,Psych

Mercator Projected

Fantastic album from an English group that bridged the psychedelic and progressive worlds together. East of Eden had put out a non lp single prior to their debut album, Mercator Projected, which was released in 1969 off Decca. The band formed in 1967 and was centered around classically trained violinist Dave Arbus, guitarist Geoff Nicholson and vocalist/sax player Ron Caines.

The group had a strong underground following in London and in other parts of Europe but never attained the widespread success they deserved. Arbus’ flute, violin, and sax played a prominent role in East of Eden’s sound and on any given night they could have easily upstaged similar, like-minded bands such as the Mahavishnu Orchestra or Colosseum. Many of these songs have a clear Eastern influence as heard on the experimental Waterways. Waterways starts out as a trippy pop-sike number with lots of mellotron that eventually morphs into an explosive, metallic hard rocking raga piece. The opener, Nothern Hemisphere is a menacing, bass heavy piece of progressive rock that is somewhat similar to early King Crimson in its power and fury. In fact King Crimson’s debut may be Mercator Projected’s closest reference point. It’s difficult to mix classical, blues, jazz, folk, hard rock and psychedelia into a seemless whole but somehow East of Eden does this well. They shine on the classic jazz-psychedelic instrumental In The Stable of the Spinx and completely dismantle the superb blues-rock number Centaur Woman into something new and avant garde. There’s even a few good psychedelic pop tracks (Moth and Bathers) on an album known for its progressive tendencies.

All the songs are really good and there are few early progressive albums that are better than Mercator Projected. It’s all very intense in an English sort of way but there is no denying the greatness and talent that is packed within this record and group. In 1970 they would release another classic album, Snafu before taking a 360 turn and becoming a wasted country-rock outfit. The recent Esoteric disc is recommended as it includes the original album along with some interesting demos, which include an excellent cover of Eight Miles High.

“Waterways”

:D CD Reissue | 2008 | Esoteric | buy from amazon ]
:) Original Vinyl | 1969 | Deram | search at ebay ]

The Speakers “En El Maravilloso Mundo De Ingeson”

| Concept Albums,Psych

En El Maravilloso

There are no doubts in my mind that the Speakers were one of the finest rock bands Columbia has ever produced. Prior to Ingeson they had released 4 albums, the first 3 lps mixed rock n roll covers with two or three beat garage/folk-rock group originals. All of their records are sung in Spanish and by the group’s forth lp they were concentrating exclusively on group originals and experimenting with primitive psychedelia.

Their fourth self-titled album from 1968 was a major advancement for the Speakers, as it was crammed with excellent originals that mixed garage pop and acid rock. Later that year the group released it’s final album, the psychedelic masterpiece En El Maravilloso Mundo De Ingeson (In the Wonderful World of Ingeson). A record such as this could only be released independently as it was too far out for major labels to market. Ingeson was notable for being the first Columbian rock record to use multi channel recording techniques which enabled the band to introduce all kinds of strange sound effects to the record buying public. When the lp was released in 1968 it came in a gatefold edition that included a 12 page full-color booklet with photos of the band by Danilo Vitalini, text, drawings, and even a replica of an acid hit! The album has a very cool lo-fi sound and its only flaw is the out of place Historia De Un Loto Que, a silly blues rocker with sped up alien-like vocals. That being said, the rest of this record is great and as whacked out as any of the early Mutantes records.

I cannot read or speak Spanish but I understand Ingeson to have a concept of some kind that runs throughout the lp and the group never makes any compromises in regards to the album’s lyrics. Some of the songs like Reflejos De La Olla and the beautiful folk instrumental Nosotros display a clear Columbian roots influence but are definite standouts and give the lp a unique flavor. Un Sueno Magico (wild guitar distortion and treated vocals), Oda A La Gente Mediocre (killer brain-damaged psych), Si La Guerra, and Ninos are all outstanding tracks and represent some of the deepest forays into Latin American psychedelia. The cheerful Si La Guerra in particular reminds me of something off the first Os Mutantes album while Ninos has an unhinged fuzztone solo about midway thru. There are also a few good psych folk-rockers in No Como Antes and Salmo Siglo XX that balance out all the madness.

Searching for originals is pointless as this classic is extremely rare and exchanges hands for outrageous sums of money. There have been two reissues of Ingeson though, the best being the pricey limited edition SalgaelSol cd (2007) which replicates the original mini lp gatefold, text, photos and placebo acid hit.

More info:
A few years back Speakers’ drummer Roberto Fiorelli shared some words with 60’s rock fanzine Ugly Things. Of En El Maravilloso Mundo De Ingeson he said, “The version of the Speakers that included Oscar Lasprilla and myself was formed during the last months of 1967. Rodrigo Garcia, group leader, and Humberto Monroy had problems with their drummer, Edgar Duenas and they decided to replace him. We talked to the owner of Ingeson Studio, Dr. Drezner, who said we could use the studio free of charge during the night. In return we would have to use the word “Ingeson” any way we could. Since I was a professional studio drummer who worked there eight hours a day, I asked him: “What if we call the album The Speakers in the Marvelous World of Ingeson?” And Dr. Drezner replied, “You can start tomorrow!” The recordings alone took four months, from June through September of 1968. There was an abudance of percussion instruments, marimbas, xylophones, tabla, glass, bells, indigenous percussion all which were used on “Oda a La Gente Mediocore” (Ode to the Mediocre People). The promotion for this record was enormous: television, newspaper, radio talk shows, we did everything you could possibly do and the critics loved it and the end result…….only 800 copies were sold. Things went downhill after this experience. Rodrigo had enough of Columbia and returned to his native country – Spain (He joined Los Pekenikes and recorded their fourth lp). Humberto and I decided to form Siglo Cero. I worked in other musical ventures until Columbia de Fuego, a band that toured Europe and Russia in 1973. I left Columbia being the number one drummer. I really didn’t want to return again and start from scratch. So I bit the bullet , I remained in my native country of Italy where I truly started again from scratch!”

Roberto continues to play drums professionally in Italy. In regards to band leader Rodrigo Garcia, everyone who knew him in Columbia thought he had died in combat fighting for the guerrillas in Central America during the 1970’s. The elusive, eccentric Rodrigo Garcia was shocked to hear this and called it all “rubbish.” He is still alive and well and has been recording in Spain.

From the Speakers self-titled 4th album:

mp3: Reflexiones

En El Maravilloso Mundo De Ingeson

mp3: Un Sueno Magico
mp3: Nosotros Nuestra Arcadia Nuestra

:D CD Reissue | 2007 | SalgaelSol | purchase ]