In The Land Of FREE we still Keep on Rockin'

I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now

Plain and Fancy

Music gives soul to universe, wings to mind, flight to imagination, charm to sadness, and life to everything.

Plato

Saturday, October 23, 2021

Blue Jug - Blue Jug Band (1978 us, fine southern country rock, 2012 korean remaster)



Three years after their debut, Blue Jug released their second album titled Blue Jug Band. Harsh reality stories, common people's ordinary days. 

The first song on the album is "Memories Are Hard To Come By". Intro with  good acoustic guitar, following by vocals and electric guitars,  "Like A Fool" a piano ballad,  with twin-guitar increasing the beat which is built around Southern Rock, applying some great feeling.

"Kentucky Man" with earthy feeling and the rhythm section bringing comfortable passages. "Cajun Lady" with the addition of Rufus Thibodeaux 's fiddle. "Shotgun Rider" has a nice sticky guitar, scaggs are a stone's throw. "Tequila Waltz" is a wailling ballad.

"Conchita" has a nice intro acoustic guitar, a pop tune, but the entanglement of the guitar leaves a good taste. The guitar intro of "Taste Of The Country" is cool, but when vocals is added, immediately becomes a rustic flavor,  the fiddle is also effective. "Child Abuse" has a nice slide guitar . The last track is a ballad called “The Sun Is Gonna Shine Again”.

Blue Jug were successful and toured with most of the big names in the Southern Rock scene of the time, including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers and Charlie Daniels Band. In Ed Raetzloff 1980 released a Christian solo album "It took a long time to get to you". One can confidently classify the album under Southern Rock. A year later his second album "Drivin Wheels" was released for the CCM market. Then Ed Raetzloff went into hiding and left nothing to be heard, but left two great albums for the Christian market.


Tracks
1. Memories Are Hard To Come By - 4:04
2. Like A Fool - 3:39
3. Lodi - 3:15
4. Kentucky Man - 2:29
5. Cajun Lady - 3:34
6. Shotgun Rider - 4:04
7. Tequila Waltz - 2:56
8. Conchita - 3:10
9. Taste Of The Country - 3:09
10.Child Abuse - 2:40
11.The Sun Is Gonna Shine Again - 3:21

Blue Jug
*Ed Raetzloff - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Clint Delong - Guitar, Vocals
*Bill Little - Keyboards, Vocals
*Bill Burnett - Bass
*Lanny Boles - Drums
*Randy Scruggs - Guitar
*Rufus Thibodeaux - Violin


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Friday, October 15, 2021

Atlanta Rhythm Section - Atlanta Rhythm Section (1972 us, fantastic southern rock, debut album, 2018 japan SHM remaster)



The story of the Atlanta Rhythm Section began in Doraville, GA, a small town northeast of Atlanta, in 1970. Local Atlanta engineer Rodney Mills built a new studio in Doraville with the support of music publisher Bill Lowery, producer/songwriter/manager Buddy Buie, and songwriter/guitarist J.R. Cobb. The studio was dubbed Studio One and would become one of the preeminent studios in the Atlanta area. Over the years, artists who recorded there included Al Kooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe South, Bonnie Bramlett, Dickey Betts, B.J. Thomas and Billy Joe Royal.

The Atlanta Rhythm Section originally came together as the house band at Studio One. Buie and Cobb had been part of the group the Classics IV - remembered for hits including "Spooky," "Stormy" and "Traces." Buie recruited three musicians he had worked with previously in the Candymen, a group that backed Roy Orbison-singer Rodney Justo, keyboardist Dean Daughtry and drummer Robert Nix. Two talented local session players also joined in-guitarist Barry Bailey and bassist Paul Goddard. These musicians played on a number of other artist's records and the decision was made to make an album on their own.

Buie wanted the best players doing his songs as a guitar based band, and he wrote, produced and managed ARS from the start. Buie, Daughtry and Nix did a lot of the songwriting together. The Rhythm Section would play on other's albums 3-4 days a week and then work on their own material. They recorded a demo featuring instrumentals and over a couple of years pulled together material for an album. The demo got them a two record deal with MCA/Decca, and so ARS officially began.

The ten songs that make up ARS' self-titled debut album were recorded at Studio One in Doraville, GA in Nov. 1971. Producer/songwriter Buddy Buie wrote nine of the songs in partnership with others in the band. While the sound of the album may have become a little dated over time, what still comes through today are two traits that ARS was starting to refine and would prove to be their strong points over the years-great songwriting and excellent musicianship.

The album was released in 1972 and generated some critical interest for the quality of the songs and musicianship. But there was also some questioning of the idea of a rock band made up of a group of studio musicians who hadn't paid their dues on the road. The album didn't produce any hit songs, so the group continued to play on other artist's records at Studio One.

It was during the recording of the first album that Ronnie Hammond came to Studio One as an assistant engineer for Rodney Mills. He was skilled on multiple instruments and most importantly had a great singing voice. When singer Rodney Justo decided to leave the group to pursue a solo career, Hammond became the new lead singer. This group of musicians would go on to make the next six ARS albums together. In 1972, the group tried to broaden their approach as they worked on their second album for MCA/Decca.
ARS


Tracks
1. Love Me Just A Little (Robert Nix, Dean Daughtry, Buddy Buie) - 6:08
2. Baby No Lie (Robert Nix, Dean Daughtry, Buddy Buie, Barry Bailey) - 3:56
3. All In Your Mind (Buddy Buie, James Cobb) - 3:21
4. Ernestine (Robert Nix, Dean Daughtry, Paul Goddard, Barry Bailey) - 2:37
5. 40 Days And 40 Nights (Randall Bramblett, Davis Causey, Bob Jones) - 4:24
6. Another Man's Woman (Barry Bailey, Buddy Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Nix) - 4:41
7. Days Of Our Lives (Buddy Buie, James Cobb, Rodney Justo) - 3:14
8. Yours And Mine (Buddy Buie, Robert Nix) - 2:44
9. Can't Stand It No More (Buddy Buie, James Cobb, Rodney Justo) - 4:12
10.One More Problem (Barry Bailey, Dean Daughtry, Rodney Justo, Robert Nix) - 3:16

Atlanta Rhythm Section
*Rodney Justo - Vocals
*Barry Bailey - Acoustic, Electric Guitars
*Dean Daughtry - Keyboards
*Paul Goddard - Bass
*Robert Nix - Drums, Percussion
*James Cobb - Guitars, Vocals

1975-76 Atlanta Rhythm Section - Dog Days / Red Tape (2005 remaster) 

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Friday, October 8, 2021

Chilliwack - Riding High (1974 canada, excellent classic rock, 2009 remaster)



After a year on the road, "Riding High" hit the stores in the spring of '74. The record was released on Terry Jacks' Goldfish Records label. Jacks also brought his experience in the business, (co-founder of The Poppy Family and his solo hit "Seasons In The Sun" that same year among others) to the studio and served as co-producer with Mike Flicker. By the end of the year Chilliwack practically owned the airwaves, with the title-track, "Come On Over" the absolute classic "Crazy Talk" and the raucous and rowdy "There's Something I Like About That".

“Crazy Talk” is a song about a woman whose serial lying is crazy making for the man in her life. The singer warns that this woman can “make a man a ruin.” The origins of the word ruin have to do with the remains of a building or a city that has fallen into decay or been destroyed in war, fire, flood or earthquake. Over time the word, ruin, also referred to the downfall, decay, or destruction of anything. Sometimes one’s ruin is brought on by recklessness and carelessness. In the case of this song, there have been men who haven’t been alert to the nefarious qualities of this particular woman. The ruin of a human being suggests the complete loss of health, means, position, hope, or capacity to be restored.

Music critic, Richard Skelly, provides some background information about the album and the singles from Riding High. “Terry Jacks produced “Crazy Talk” at Can-Base Studios just before that operation changed hands and became Mushroom Studios. Both on “Crazy Talk” and “There’s Something I Like About That,” Terry used Mike Flicker and Rolf Hennemann for engineering the sessions. The pair had also helmed the boards for Terry’s megahit Seasons In The Sun. Flicker—who later produced Heart for Mushroom Records and then Portrait/CBS—produced the remaining Chilliwack tracks for the Riding High album. Sire Records picked up US distribution, but didn’t manage to hype “Crazy Talk” past the very lowest rungs (#98) of Billboard. 

Sire did commit to having Chilliwack fly to New York to record sessions with Richard Gottehrer, a Garage-rock guru famous for recording ‘60s rockers like The McCoys. Riding High was the first Chilliwack recording to feature new member Howard Froese. Brother of future Vancouver tv news anchor Russ Froese, Howard hailed from Terrace where he and fellow high schooler Jim Vallance formed a band in the summer of 1969. Vallance reportedly wove memories of those idyllic teen times when he later co-wrote Summer Of ‘69 with Bryan Adams! A gifted guitarist, Howard also played keyboards and sang harmonies.” Skelly adds that Froese co-write one of the tracks on Riding High titled “Far Side Of The Sun”. This was “a mini suite inspired by a sci-fi movie all four Chilliwack members watched on tv late one night after a gig.”
by Ray McGinnis, December 20, 2017


Tracks
1. Come On Over (Ross Turney, Bill Henderson) - 4:32
2. Crazy Talk (Bill Henderson) - 5:25
3. There's Something I Like About That (Ross Turney, Bill Henderson) - 2:50
4. Makin' Time (Ross Turney, Bill Henderson) - 5:40
5. Riding High (Ross Turney, Bill Henderson) - 5:21
6. Time Don't Mean A Thing To Ya' (Bill Henderson) - 2:47
7. Far Side Of The Sun Suite: Drifting/Secrets (Ross Turney, Bill Henderson, Howard Froese, Glenn Miller) - 8:35

Chilliwack
*Bill Henderson - Guitar, Piano, Synthesizer, Vocals
*Glenn Miller - Bass
*Ross Turney - Drums, Percussion
*Howard Froese - Guitar, Keyboards, Harmony Vocals

1970  Chilliwack
1971  Chilliwack - Chilliwack II

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Monday, October 4, 2021

Mike Absalom - Mike Absalom (1971 uk, excellent folk rock with humorous feel, 2006 remaster)



A British singer songwriter with an eccentric sense of humour and flair for poetry, Mike Absalom was signed to the progressive Vertigo label, that released this album in 1971.

A rare collector’s item for many years, the original LP was graced by the artwork of Roger Dean, later to find fame as the sleeve designer for Yes, and many other Seventies artists. The cover art depicts Notting Hill scenes and amusing characters from Absalom’s quirky sagas - such as ‘John The Bog’ and the ‘Ernie Plugg’s Bust’.

Produced by Patrick Campbell-Lyons - of 60s group Nirvana fame, this collection recalls the extraordinary diversity of the Prog Rock Folk scene.

Mike Absalom was a genuine oddity on the late-'60s/early-'70s U.K. scene, a singer/songwriter with a bent sense of humor that seemed to be driven as much by a heavy load of illicit pharmaceuticals as by a skewed worldview. Unlike the contemporary Syd Barrett, however, Absalom did not become an acid casualty. He recorded one album for Saydisc in 1969, a disc that escaped under the title of Save the Last Gherkin for Me, and he set out on a career of busking and living hand to mouth. Producer/A&R man Patrick Lyons - of Nirvana U.K. fame found his attention engaged by Absalom's music when the singer/songwriter was playing for small change in a London Underground station, subsequently signing him to Vertigo Records.

Absalom toured throughout the U.K., playing the college circuit and small clubs throughout the early '70s. The Vertigo contract yielded a pair of albums, of which Mike Absalom - 1971 seems hardly to have been noticed, despite a Roger Dean sleeve that doubled as a poster guide to Notting Hill Gate. 1973's Hector and Other Peccadillos garnered a little more attention, but not enough to prevent Absalom from vanishing from sight for some time.

Absalom eventually resurfaced in Canada, and currently lives in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Over the years he has expanded his repertoire considerably, performing Celtic music under the name of Mike Absalom & the Squid Jiggers, as well as a variety of harp music. He has become popular in western Canada for both the variety of his music and his continuing strange humor.
by Steven McDonald


Tracks
1. Saga Of John The Bog - 04:05
2. Don’t Tell It On The Telephone - 02:14
3. Let Me Give You Roses, Rose - 02:43
4. Old Woman In The Moon - 04:35
5. Saga Of Ernie Plugga’s Bust - 03:34
6. Saga Of Suzie Grapevine And Pusher Joe - 05:02
7. Frightened Of The Dark - 03:25
8. Gaza Striptease - 02:20
9. It Must Be Spring - 04:25
10.Saga Of Peaches Melba And The Hash Officer - 05:55
All compositions by Mike Absalom

*Mike Absalom - Vocals, Guitar

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Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Free - Highway (1970 uk, solid classic rock, 2002 remastered and expanded)



Highway was recorded just three months after the band scored the career-redefining hit "Alright Now," with their profile at an career-topping high, but morale heading toward an all-time low. Guitarist Paul Kossoff was reeling from the death of friend Jimi Hendrix, a new single, "The Stealer" -- the follow-up to The Hit -- bellyflopped ignominiously and, when the album followed suit, the band itself was not far behind. 

Heavily influenced by their admiration of the Band, Highway has understandably been described as Free's answer to Music From Big Pink, sharing both the laid-back vibe and mellow looseness of that role model. Where it went awry, of course, was in the fact that Free was not cut out to be country-rock guitar-twangers, no matter how fiery their missionary zeal. Yet, the strutting rockers "The Stealer" and "Ride On Pony" alone shatter the brave new mood, while reflective romancers like "Love You So" and "Be My Friend" could well have been composed specifically to rid the band of the shadow of "Alright Now," and prove that underneath the coolest exterior, there beat a heart of the molten gold. 

Of course, Free had bathed in such waters before, and the closing "Soon I Will Be Gone" certainly bears comparison with any of their past ballads. Nevertheless, too much of Highway reacted to the pressures of the recent past, rather building upon the strengths that had made such events possible in the first place, and you reach the bonus tracks appended to the 2002 remaster despairing that they will ever rediscover that earlier flair. But the 1971 hit single "My Brother Jake" is a gorgeous knockabout clearly informed by the Faces' recent assault on Free's own throne, while a couple of BBC session tracks, sensibly highlighting both the best - "Ride On Pony" and the worst - "Be My Friend" of the album itself, pack a punch that was clearly absent in the studio. 

In fact, whatever your opinion of Highway itself, the bonus tracks comprise an entire new reason to pick up the album. 
by Dave Thompson


Tracks
1. The Highway Song - 4:17
2. The Stealer (Andy Fraser, Paul Rodgers, Paul Kossoff) - 3:18
3. On My Way - 4:03
4. Be My Friend - 5:49
5. Sunny Day - 3:10
6. Ride On A Pony - 4:19
7. Love You So (Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke) - 4:55
8. Bodie - 3:07
9. Soon I Will Be Gone - 3:11
10.My Brother Jake - 2:52
11.Only My Soul - 2:30
12.Ride On A Pony - 4:30
13.Be My Friend - 5:37
14.Rain - 3:57
15.The Stealer (Andy Fraser, Paul Rodgers, Paul Kossoff) - 3:23
All tracks written by Andy Fraser, Paul Rodgers unless otherwise stated
Bonus Tracks 10-15

Free
*Paul Rodgers - Vocals
*Paul Kossoff - Guitar
*Andy Fraser - Bass
*Simon Kirke - Drums



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Saturday, September 25, 2021

Redeye - One Man`s Poison (1971 us, marvelous swamp folk rock, 2013 korean remaster)


Redeye's  second album "One Man`s Poison" released in 1971, is an extension of the first, with swamps and west coast folk-rock elements, but with more laid-back and mature music than the debut work. 

Includes the hit single  ‘Redeye Blues’, was issued in the spring of 1971, although it was banned in many radio markets owing to its lyrical content - some programmers objected to the song’s story-line about a person getting stoned and then unable to find his drug stash. 

Nevertheless, the single charted at number #78. The group was unable to follow it with another hit and split up in 1972.  


Tracks
1. I`m Going Blind - 2:48
2. Red Eye Blues - 2:51
3. The Seeker - 3:20
4. I`ll Get Better - 3:16
5. The Making Of A Hero - 5:02
6. You Don`t Need It - 2:58
7. Walter Why Knott - 2:22
8. Someone - 3:02
9. Beginning To End - 2:39
10.Cold In The Night - 3:21
All songs by Dave Hodgkins

Redeye
*Douglas "Red" Mark - Vocals, Guitar 
*Dave Hodgkins - Guitar, Vocals
*Bill Kirkham - Bass, Vocals
*Bob Bereman - Drums, Percussion

Related Acts

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Tuesday, September 21, 2021

The Steampacket - The Steampacket (1965-66 uk, awsome r 'n' b)


Because their ranks included a future superstar, the Steampacket have received more attention than they really deserve. Featuring vocalists Rod Stewart, Long John Baldry, and Julie Driscoll, as well as organist Brian Auger, misleading reissues of the group's demos bill the act as "the first supergroup." That's simply not the case. They were an interesting conglomeration, and innovative in the respect of featuring several singers. But their true status is as a short-lived footnote, and not one that rates as a highlight of any of the principals' careers.

Though the Steampacket played gigs at small venues around London as early as 1962, the nucleus of the band formed in mid-1965, after the demise of Baldry's backing outfit, the Hoochie Coochie Men. Baldry envisioned a soul-type revue, each singer taking the material for which he or she was most suited. Management by Giorgio Gomelsky (who also handled the Yardbirds and several other interesting British groups) and a supporting slot on the Rolling Stones' summer 1965 British tour seemed to promise a bright future.

Their professional activities were complicated by the fact that Baldry and Stewart retained separate managers for their individual careers. Additionally, Baldry was already signed to United Artists as a solo act, thwarting Gomelsky's plans to record the band. This led to disputes between the different managers, and the Steampacket broke up before they managed to enter the studio.

Officially enter the studio, that is. Gomelsky did record some tapes with the band at a rehearsal at the famous Marquee club in London. These have been reissued numerous times since the 1970s, and show the band to be a competent but hardly thrilling soul-rock outfit, anchored instrumentally by Auger's jazz blues organ. Stewart moved on to the Jeff Beck Group, the Faces, and solo stardom; Baldry moved into middle-of-the-road pop, landing some British hit singles in the late '60s. Auger had recorded as a backup musician on Baldry's mid-'60s solo records, and his Brian Auger Trinity group continued working with Julie Driscoll, reaching the U.K. Top Five in 1968 with "This Wheel's on Fire." 
by  Richie Unterberger


Tracks
1. Can I Get A Witness (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Edward Holland, Jr.) - 3:36
2. The In-Crowd (Billy Page) - 3:42
3. Baby Take Me (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Jo Armstead) - 2:12
4. Baby Baby (Unknown) - 2:26
5. Back At The Chicken Shack (Jimmy Smith) - 3:52
6. Cry Me A River (Arthur Hamilton) - 2:46
7. Oh Baby, Don't Do It (Unknown) - 3:28
8. Holy Smoke (Unknown) - 3:28
9. Lord Remember Me (Unknown) - 4:18

The Steampacket
*Long John Baldry - Vocals
*Julie Driscoll - Vocals
*Rod Stewart - Vocals, Harmonica
*Brian Auger - Keyboards
*Rick Brown - Bass
*Micky Waller - Drums 
*Vic Biggs - Guitar

Related Acts
1970  Brian Auger And The Trinity - Befour (SHM 2013 remaster with extra tracks) 
1970 Brian Auger's Oblivion Express (2013 Japan SHM edition)
1971  A Better Land (2006 japan remaster)
1972  Second Wind (2006 japan remaster)
1973  Closer To It (2006 japan remaster) 

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Friday, September 17, 2021

Redeye - Redeye (1970 us, beautiful folk soft rock with vocal harmonies, and even occasional jazzy-styled guitar segments, Big Pink 2013 remaster)


Prior to forming Redeye, singer/guitarist Douglas Marks obtained a bit of glory with the Sunshine Company and the Grains Of Sand. Active from 1967-68, this Los Angeles band parented a moderate amount of airplay with radiant Mamas and Papas-styled songs such as “Happy” and “Back on the Street Again.” The Sunshine Company released a trio of enjoyable albums, as well.

In 1970, Redeye – which also included rhythm guitarist/vocalist Dave Hodgkins, bassist/vocalist Bill Kirkham and drummer Bob Bereman – secured a contract with the Pentagram label. By the end of the year, the band notched a No. 27 nationwide hit single with “Games” that also appeared on Redeye’s self-titled debut album.

Listeners are guaranteed to experience a dose of deja vu (pun intended) when hearing “Games,” as the high-pitched harmony blend coating the bright and buoyant track are hijacked straight from the Crosby Stills Nash and Young songbook. A repetitively catchy chorus of “Yeah, you know” calls for a sing-a-long fest, while a clanging cowbell and an energetic jam rock with strength and substance.

Although “Games” sounds too close to comfort to CSNY to give Redeye a unique identity, there is no denying it is nattily crafted and sports plenty of appeal.

Riding the success of “Games,” Redeye toured and shared bills with the likes of the Byrds and Cactus. Things certainly looked good for the band, but their next single – the funky blues-oriented “Red Eye Blues” – failed to make much of an impact. Breaking up in 1972, Redeye’s short-lived popularity is rather a pity because they definitely had what was required to juggle commercial characteristics with edgier aspects.
by Beverly Paterson


Tracks
1. Games - 3:05
2. Empty White Houses - 2:44
3. Mississippi Stateline - 4:00
4. Green Grass - 3:10
5. Down Home Run - 2:18
6. Dadaeleus` Unfinished Dream (Bill Kirkham, Dave Hodgkins) - 2:46
7. Oregon Bound - 3:15
8. Your Train Is Leaving - 2:46
9. 199 Thoughts Too Late - 2:30
10.Collections Of Yesterday And Now (Dave Hodgkins, Douglas Mark) - 4:31
All songs by Dave Hodgkins except where nored

Redeye
*Douglas "Red" Mark - Vocals, Guitar 
*Dave Hodgkins - Guitar, Vocals
*Bill Kirkham - Bass, Vocals
*Bob Bereman - Drums, Percussion

Related Acts

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Thursday, September 9, 2021

Bonnie Koloc - After All This Time (1971 us, gorgeous jazzy folk psych rock, 2015 korean remaster)


"After All This Time", Koloc’s debut album, released in 1971 by local label Ovation Records. At age 25, Koloc was already the doyenne of the north-side folk scene, having left behind her studies at the University of Northern Iowa in the late 60s and come to Chicago to pursue music. Her warm, clear voice and friendly stage presence helped her quickly line up performance time at venues such as the Earl of Old Town and the Fifth Peg. After All This Time includes a cover of “Jazzman,” by folk-scene comrade Ed Holstein, and her version got a lot of airplay on Chicago radio in the ensuing year.

“It was an exciting time,” Koloc tells me via her manager, David Koppel. “The record release for my first album was being held at the Old Town School of Folk Music with Studs Terkel as master of ceremonies, which was an honor in itself.” Terkel had been a fan of Koloc’s work from the beginning, and would later invite her onto his WFMT radio show several times. 
by Salem Collo-Julin, January 6, 2021


Tracks
1. Don't Leave Me - 4:05
2. After All This Time - 3:47
3. New York City Blues - 4:19
4. Devil's Nine Questions - 4:36
5. Another New Morn' (Bonnie Koloc, Ron Scroggin, Stu Heiss) - 3:57
6. Rainy Day Lady - 3:40
7. Jazz Man (Ed Holstein) - 3:31
8. Victoria's Morning (Ed Holstein) - 4:49
9. Got To Get What You Can - 3:20
10.One Sure Thing (Jean Glover, Jim Glover) - 4:58
Music and Lyrics by Bonnie Koloc except where indicated

Personnel
*Bonnie Koloc - Guitar, Vocals
*Ron Scroggin - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
*Allen Barcus - Piano
*Norman Christian - Drums
*Stu Heiss - Guitar
*Phil Upchurch - Bass
*Lizzie Scroggin - Vocals 
*Sid Simms - Bass



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Saturday, September 4, 2021

Joey Stec - Joey Stec (1974-76 us, elegant folk classic soft rock, 2011 japan remaster)


Joey Stec will be a familiar name to fans of The Millennium, a Southern California group who were the brainchild of producers' Gary Usher and Curt Boettcher, and Keith Olsen. The group's album, Begin (Columbia 1968) is an obscure classic of the period, as well as being one of the most expensive albums recorded by Columbia at the time. Joey Stec was one of the main members of that band, and his own self-titled album is, in its own way, a classic of the period that it was done in as well. 

Released in 1975, The Joey Stec Album is loaded with great pop-rock hooks ("Do You Know"), introspective ballads ("No Knowing," which recalls Neil Young's work from this period) and delightful, joyous singing, songs and performances. Unlike many records like this from the mid-70's, this album actually has retained its freshness, and that alone is an incredible feat. Masterfully produced by the great Jimmy Miller (Traffic, Rolling Stones, etc.), the album features stellar guest performances by such heavyweights as Bobby Keys, Jim Gordon, Cale Radle and others. In fact, this album can accurately be described as a poppier version of The Dominos, crossed with the Beatle-esque pop sensibilities of groups as Badfinger and Big Star. Mostly, though, it sounds like Joey Stec, which is a wonderful thing in itself. Absolutely delicious. 
by Matthew Greenwald
Tracks
1. Do You Know (Joey Stec, Warner Schwebki) - 3:22
2. Happier (Than I've Ever Been Before) (Joey Stec) - 3:38
3. I Wish It Would Rain (Barret Strong, Norman Whitfield, Roger Tenzabene) - 2:58
4. No Knowing (Joey Stec) - 3:37
5. Give My Love To You (Joey Stec) - 3:16
6. Easy To Love (Joey Stec) - 2:56
7. Back Again (Albert R. Morris, Joey Stec) - 2:48
8. Standing Here Alone (Joey Stec) - 3:34
9. Then (Joey Stec) - 2:31
10.Even Angels (Art Delgudico, Joey Stec) - 3:04
11.Desire (Joey Stec) - 3:44
12.Turn Back The Page (Joey Stec) - 3:37
13.Tired Out Soul (Joey Stec) - 4:27
Bonus Tracks 11-13

Musicians
*Joey Stec - Acoustic, Electric Guitar, Organ 
*Nancy Casta - Vocals
*Art DelGudico - Electric Guitar
*Jim Gordon - Drums
*Bobby Keys - Baritone, Tenor Saxophone
*Joe Lala - Percussion
*Jimmy Miller - Vocals
*Albert Morris - Vocals
*John Nuese - Rhythm Guitar 
*Carl Radle - Bass
*Peggy Sandvig - Keyboards, Organ, Piano 

Related Acts
1967-68  The Millennium - Pieces (2013 Blu Spec)
1968  The Millennium - Begin (2013 Blue Spec edition)
1966-68  Sagittarius - Present Tense

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