Mott The Hoople - Hoople (1974 uk, power glam rock, 2006 remaster and expanded)

The Hoople was Mott's third album release on CBS/Columbia Records and the band had much to live up to after their two previous studio work outs. All the Young Dudes had taken the group in an exciting new direction under David Bowie's tutelage and the self-produced Mott was so strong that its sequel inevitably faced unjust criticism. However, there were some mitigating circumstances. Organist Verden Allen and founder/lead guitarist Mick Ralphs had both left Mott in 1973. The group considered Joe Walsh, Tommy Bolin and Ronnie Montrose as Ralphs' replacement but opted for Luther Grosvenor, who joined as 'Ariel Bender'. 

These developments changed the character of the band quite significantly firstly because vocalist Ian Hunter was now the undisputed group leader, secondly because Grosvenor was not a musical collaborator as Ralphs had been and thirdly because Ian effectively became sole writer. But Mott's front man had composed some fearsome new songs and The Hoople marked a solid progression. In retrospect, the album deserves greater merit for the diversity and power of Hunter's material. The 'updated' top ten hit single "Roll Away the Stone" and its follow up, "The Golden Age Of Rock ln' Roll", closed and opened the LP, acting as bookends to the eclectic material within. In 1974 there was a strong UK lobby to limit the noise level at rock concerts to 96 decibels and 'Golden Age' was an expression of Hunter's annoyance but also a celebration of the glamorous and buoyant music scene that was thriving at that time. 

Roxy Music's Andy Mackay contributed rousing saxophone to the new single and he also played to great effect on "Pearl 'n' Roy (England)", a tale of social and political frustration referencing the British Conservative Prime Minister of the time, Ted Heath. Mott was renowned for its passion towards guitars and cars. After "Drivin1 Sister" and "I'm a Cadillac" on the Mott album, bassist Overend Watts contributed "Born Late '58," a very credible rocker that Ian thought was a potential single at the time. It was the only Mott track not to feature their front man who was in America when the band cut the song Ian also extended his tales of New York City with "Alice" which trod in the tracks of Mott's "Whizz Kid". Hunter's lyrical outpouring on "Alice" was unprecedented and consequently the song was performed only once in concert. Morgan Fisher, Verden Allen's replacement, fitted the band like a glove, as exemplified by his fantastic organ playing on this cut. 

"Through the Looking Glass" is unique in the Mott canon with its stunning dynamics and orchestral arrangement rising and falling dramatically behind Hunter's expressive vocals. "Trudi's Song", a beautiful ode to lan's wife, inspired by Dylan's Nashville Skyline album, is a gentle contrast to much of The Hoople's hard edge. With the headlines 'Fragments of Madness' and 'Hoople's Blood and Thunder', two British rock journals were clearly startled by Hunter's powerful and highly charged masterpieces, "Crash Street Kidds" and "Marionette". Echoing "Violence" from Mott, "Crash Street Kidds" tells the tale of a street gang who have become so socially disenchanted that they decide they are going to take over Britain. In the end, youth fails with lan's transformed 'dalek voice' and a 'machine gun' heralding the gang leader's demise. Originally conceived as "The Bash Street Kidds", it was to be the album's theme and title but the publishers of the Beano comic (which featured the Bash St characters) would not countenance Hunter's concept. 

The cornerstone of The Hoople is unquestionably "Marionette", lan's five minute mini opera describing the corporate side of rock music and its effect on artists. Crazed violin, frantic saxes, staccato cellos, Quasimodo choruses and manic laughter surround Hunter's nightmare of a rock star driven to submission. Ian was often ahead of the field and within 18 months Queen had written a certain smash hit operetta and 'marionette' was used to describe David Essex in his portrayal of a fading pop star in the movie Stardust. Within nine months Ian Hunter would be confined to a hospital bed. Before then, "The Golden Age Of Rock 'n' Roll" hit #16 in Britain and The Hoople reached #11. Mott played a 6week American tour with Queen as support and became the first rock band to sell out a week of Broadway concerts in New York's theatre land. Hunter's acclaimed book Diary of a rock 'n' roll Star was also published around this time. It was a peak period for the group. 

During The Hoople sessions the band recorded the reflective "Rest In Peace" and a further Spector-style single "Foxy Foxy" for summer release. In the autumn of '74 it was felt that Ariel Bender did not suit Mott as lead guitarist and in spite of his whirlwind energy and the renewed spirit he had injected into the group, Grosvenor left, turned down an offer to join Sparks and formed Widowmaker instead. Bender's replacement was the brilliant Mick Ronson whose recruitment by   Hunter was a masterstroke. 'Ronno' laid down guitar for a single entitled "(Do You Remember) The Saturday Gigs?" and an intended B side, "Lounge Lizzard". The self-referential "Saturday Gigs" was deemed a huge potential hit but it stalled inexplicably at #41 in the UK. 

European concerts with Ronson were highly praised but there were increasing tensions in the band and Hunter's subsequent breakdown led to the cancellation of a sold out British tour. Mott ceased to exist. The Hoople is Mott the Hoople's final creative offering and one of their most under-rated albums lying as it does in the wake of Brain Capers, AH the Young Dudes and Mott. It is still a remarkable record and Hunter's compositions "Crash Street Kidds" and "Marionette" pointed the group in a new and exciting direction that sadly they were unable to follow. Little wonder that Ian had planned to feature a straight jacket on the cover of their next album. 'Fragments of Madness' indeed!

by Campbell Devine

Tracks
1. The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll  - 3:26
2. Marionette  - 5:08
3. Alice  - 5:20
4. Crash Street Kidds - 4:31
5. Born Late '58 (Overend Watts) - 4:00
6. Trudi's Song - 4:26
7. Pearl 'N' Roy (England) - 4:31
8. Through the Looking Glass - 4:37
9. Roll Away the Stone - 3:10
10.Where Do You All Come From (B-side) (Dale "Buffin" Griffin, Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Peter Watts) - 3:26
11.Rest in Peace (B-side of "The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll" single) - 3:55
12.Foxy, Foxy (Non-LP single A-side) - 3:31
13.(Do You Remember The) Saturday Gigs (Non-LP single A-side) - 4:20
14.The Saturday Kids (Work in progress mixes) - 6:03
15.Lounge Lizzard (Aborted single b-side) - 4:19
16.American Pie/The Golden Age of Rock 'N' Roll (Live from Broadway)  (Don McLean, Ian Hunter) - 4:15
All tracks written by Ian Hunter except as noted.

Mott The Hoople
*Ian Hunter - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards
*Pete "Overend" Watts - Bass Guitar, Vocals, Riff Guitar, 12-String Guitar
*Dale "Buffin" Griffin - Drums, Vocals, Percussion
*Ariel Bender (Luther Grosvenor) - Lead Guitar, Vocals, Slide Guitar
*Morgan Fisher - Organ, Synthesizer, Piano
Guest Musicians
*Howie Casey - Tenor Saxophone
*Jock McPherson - Baritone, Tenor  Saxophone
*Mike Hurwitz - Cello
*Lynsey De Paul - Backing Vocals
*Mick Ralphs - Backing Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
*Graham Preskett - Violin, Tubular Bells
*Sue Glover, Sunny Leslie - Backing Vocals
*Barry St. John - Backing Vocals
*Thunderthighs (Karen Friedman, Dari Lalou, Casey Synge) - Backing Vocals

1966/90  Doc Thomas Group And The Silence - The Italian Job / Shotgun Eyes
1969  Mott The Hoople - Mott The Hoople (2003 bonus tracks remaster)
1970  Mott The Hoople - Mad Shadows (2003 Extra Tracks Remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Wildlife (2003 japan bonus tracks remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Brain Capers (bonus tracks remaster)
1972  Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes (2006 bonus tracks remaster)
1973  Mott The Hoople - Mott (2006 remaster and expanded)

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Leviathan - The Legendary Lost Elektra Album (1969 uk, amazing beat psych rock, 2016 remaster)

The Brighton band Leviathan, previously known as Mike Stuart Span, featured in one of the very best TV programmes ever about Pop Music. It is also unintentionally very funny indeed. In their episode “Big Deal Group”, part of BBC’s “A Year In The Life” series, “the Span” begin as a group on the up being managed by the hapless Mike Clayton, who demonstrates his acumen early on by signing away an extra 5% of their earnings to a booking agency for seemingly doing nothing much at all. Clearly way out of his depth when it came to the London Showbiz mafia and not exactly a Peter Grant figure, it was no surprise when he and the group parted company after a series of mishaps, including an underwhelming television appearance and unwisely buying a record shop on the royalties from a non-selling single. This left the Mike Stuart Span forlornly rehearsing at a local Youth Club, contemplating a spell working on building sites instead of the glamour in the last dying breathes of Swinging London. Of Clayton, we saw no more.

After this inevitable parting of the ways, something new was needed for the band. Luckily a deal with US label Elektra, home of the Doors and Love amongst others, came out of the blue on the proviso that the group’s name be changed to the more 1969 sounding Leviathan. Though not that enamoured with the new moniker (and the decision on this came right from the top, from none other than Jac Holzman, Elektra president), the band generally welcomed this unexpected upswing in fortune.

The tail end of “Big Deal Band” shows Clive Selwood, John Peel’s mate and now the band’s handler, attempting unsuccessfully to hustle the newly rechristened Leviathan some air time on the Kenny Everett radio show. Presumably it was also Selwood’s idea to release two singles by the band on the same day – the kind of ploy that rarely worked, but I suppose desperate times called for desperate measures. By the time the documentary aired, the band were no more, their dreams of UK and Stateside success dashed when Elektra (and Holzman again being personally involved) rejected their first attempt at making an album. They told them to go back and try again, but by this time Leviathan had run out of money and with nothing forthcoming from the US, that was that.

The LP that they recorded has remained in limbo ever since, apart from a brief vinyl release a short while back, but now we can hear it in all its glory, nearly 50 years after it was recorded. And, despite at times taking rather too strongly an influence from the preeminent UK band of the time Cream, it is a beaut. Though looked upon as a change from the “Psychedelic” Mike Stuart Span to a more “Progressive” sound, it’s not a startling alteration of style. Leviathan do occasionally fall back on the kind of “Blues” jamming that tended to rule in Blighty at the time – but for the most part inventive, catchy Heavy Psych/late period Freakbeat is the order of the day.

Their best single “Remember The Times”, cruelly missed out on the charts despite being on a par with great bands like the Move and there’s a touch of “Sunday Afternoon” era-Kinks in the mix, very agreeable indeed. Though a touch more guitar gung-ho than in their Span years (even further back they started as a Soul band with a full brass section), they still manage to make a catchy concoction of their contradictions (i.e wanting the fame and fortune that success would bring, but also a need to be “taken seriously”). Occasionally they trip over into self-parody, with the multi-section anti-war “War Machine” making one stifle a few giggles but feel a bit mean afterwards, as they were undoubtedly being earnest. “Flames”, another single side, manages to neatly bolt together the Progressive and Pop with a complicated guitar riff dovetailing nicely with a doleful but memorable song. They never lost their Pop smarts, though perhaps “Evil Woman” does go a little too far down the “Clapton Is God” path. “Just Forget Tomorrow”, another side of the ill-fated double single, is another good one. At times they had a bit in common with the Who of the same period, with strong vocals complimenting powerful but fluid instrumentation. Also Leviathan had the advantage of not having to weld their cracking tunes to an unwieldy concept unlike Rog and the boys.

“Leviathan – The Legendary Lost Elektra Album” may well have disappeared without making much of a ripple even if it had seen the light of day back in 1969, knowing the band’s luck, but that is not to blind us from its many good qualities. Though Leviathan were never destined to make the higher reaches of the charts and struggled to even get their records released, they had an innate skill for producing excellent Psychedelic-toned Pop Music and finally, all these years later, we have the proof.

by Ian Canty

Tracks

1. Remember The Times (Stuart Hobday) - 2:46
2. Second Production (Stuart Hobday, Gary Murphy, Roger McCabe, Brian Bennett) - 4:44
3. The War Machine (Stuart Hobday) - 5:19)
4. Through The Looking Glass (Stuart Hobday, Brian Bennett) - 5:45
5. Blue Day (Stuart Hobday, Brian Bennett) - 6:38
6. Time (Gary Murphy, Brian Bennett) - 4:00
7. Flames (Gary Murphy, Brian Bennett) - 4:47
8. World In My Head (Stuart Hobday, Brian Bennett) - 4:29
9. Evil Woman  (Larry Weiss) - 7:57
10.Flames (Single Version) (Gary Murphy, Brian Bennett) - 3:48
11.Just Forget Tomorrow (Single) (Stuart Hobday, Brian Bennett) - 4:19
12.Remember The Times (Australian Single Version) (Stuart Hobday) - 2:41
Bonus tracks 10-12

Leviathan
*Stuart Hobday  - Vocals
*Brian Bennett  - Guitar
*Roger McCabe  - Bass
*Gary Murphy  - Drums

1964-68  Mike Stuart Span - Children Of Tomorrow (2011 Grapefruit remaster)  
Related Act
1967-68  Jason Crest - The Collected Works

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Doug Sahm - Doug Sahm And Band / Texas Tornado / Groovers Paradise (1973-74 us, spectacular melt of country folk blues and classic rock, 2016 double disc set)

Doug Sahm began his solo career in 1972, after the Sir Douglas Quintet finished its contract with Smash/Mercury and after Atlantic Records co-owner/producer Jerry Wexler convinced him to sign to his label. Wexler gave the Texas maverick the chance to cut a star-studded, big-budget album, shuffling him off to New York where Wexler and Arif Mardin helmed a series of sessions with an ever-revolving cast of musicians featuring Bob Dylan, Dr. John, David "Fathead" Newman, David Bromberg, and Flaco Jimenez, in addition to such Sir Doug stalwarts as Augie Meyers and the rhythm section of bassist Jack Barber and drummer George Rains (all but the latter were in the last incarnation of the Quintet, raising the question of whether the group was indeed finished or not, but such is the nature of Sahm's discography). This group cut a lot of material, which was whittled down to the 12-track album Doug Sahm and Band, released in early 1973.

 At the time, the record received a push from the label and was generally disparaged because of those very all-stars on whose back it was sold, but the years have been kind indeed to the album, and it stands among Sahm's best. Indeed, the heart of the album is not at all far removed from those latter-day Sir Douglas Quintet albums on Mercury, which isn't much of a stretch since Sahm never really strayed from his signature blend of rock & roll, blues, country, and Tejano, but the bigger band and bigger production give the music a different feel -- one that's as loose as the best Quintet material, but off-handedly accomplished and slyly freewheeling. Original reviews noted that there was an overtly country direction on And Band, but that's not really true on an album that has Western swing and rambling country-rock like "Blues Stay Away from Me" and the anthemic "(Is Anybody Going To) San Antone" jutting up against pure blues in "Your Friends" and "Papa Ain't Salty," let alone loose-limbed rockers like "Dealer's Blues" and "I Get Off" or the skipping Tejano "Poison Love," fueled by Jimenez's addictive accordion. 

These are all convincing arguments that the larger band allowed Sahm to indulge in all of his passions, to the extent of devoting full tracks to each of his favorite sounds -- something that was a bit different than the Quintet records, which usually mixed it all up so it was impossible to tell where one influence ended and another began. That's still true on And Band -- for instance, witness the brilliant cover of Willie Nelson's "Me and Paul," a country song goosed by soulful horns and delivered in a delirious drawl from Sir Doug -- but much of the album finds that signature Sahm sprawl being punctuated by style-specific detours where Sahm seizes the opportunity to stretch out as much as his guests seize the opportunity to jam with this American musical visionary. 

These are all characteristics of a jam session, which these sessions essentially were -- after all, on this album he only penned three out of the 12 songs -- but relying on covers also points out how Doug Sahm sounds so much like himself, he makes other people's tunes sound as if he wrote them himself. Again, that's something that was true throughout his career, but here it is in sharper relief than most of his records due to the nature of the sessions. And while it's arguable whether this is better than latter-day Sir Douglas Quintet albums -- or such mid-'70s records as Groover's Paradise or Texas Rock for Country Rollers for that matter -- there's no question that this is music that is vividly, excitedly alive and captures Sahm at a peak. It's pretty much irresistible. 

Doug Sahm recorded much of his second Atlantic album, Texas Tornado, around the release of his first, Doug Sahm and Band, and even used outtakes from those sessions to fill out this 11-track record, so it would seem that the two records would be nearly identical. But, as they say, appearances can be deceiving, and the two albums have fairly distinct characters, at least within the frame of Sahm's music, where all his music is instantly identifiable. The biggest difference between the two records is that a good eight of the 11 songs are Doug Sahm originals -- an inversion of And Band, which relied on covers -- and most of those are produced by Sahm himself, not Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin, who helmed its predecessor, and he gives the record a feel that's considerably more streamlined than the cheerfully rambling And Band, while giving it a little grit by more or less concentrating on rock 'n' roll.

That the exceptions arrive early and are as disarming as the "Summer Wind"-styled, Sinatra-esque crooner "Someday" and lite bossa nova groover "Blue Horizon" -- two detours that make more sense in the broader context of the complete Atlantic recordings showcased on Rhino Handmade's double-disc set The Genuine Texas Groover but are bewildering here -- gives the record an off-kilter feel that may cause some listeners to underrate what is not just a typically excellent Sahm set, but one of his strongest selections of songs. Apart from the barnstorming opener, "San Francisco FM Blues," perhaps the best attempt at shoehorning Sahm's untamed Texan feel to AOR, these all come on the dynamite second side that houses the anthemic title track, as perfect an encapsulation of his Tex-Mex fusion as they come, the rampaging roadhouse rocker "Juan Mendoza," one of his best salutes to Latin culture in the 2-step "Chicano," an excellent Sir Douglas-styled groover in "Hard Way," and the gloriously breezy "Nitty Gritty," one of his very best songs (not to mention one of his best performances, highlighted by his call to right-hand man Augie Meyers before his organ solo). 

Unlike Doug Sahm and Band, Texas Tornado is billed to the Sir Doug Band, which is not quite the Sir Douglas Quintet, but with all of his usual gang in place -- not just Meyers but bassist Jack Barber, drummer George Rains, and saxophonist Rocky Morales, among others -- it essentially is no different than a Sir Douglas Quintet album, but really that's splitting hairs since the album is simply first-rate Doug Sahm. It may be recorded toward the end of his peak period -- after this, he turned out two other arguable classics before settling into a comfortably enjoyable groove that he rode out for the rest of his life -- but it still captures him at an undeniable peak and it's undeniably irresistible.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Anyone who finds hippies irritating might want to throw this record across the room -- and that's a good review right there, since it has been long established via intense scientific study that music which somehow motivates people to throw records across the room is usually quite good. No exception to this rule here, as fans of Doug Sahm often choose this as a personal favorite, while it is also one of the better side projects of the Creedence Clearwater Revival rhythm section. If Sahm was writing the review himself in 1974, he would have no doubt described the whole thing as some kind of "trip"; after all, this expression is used three times alone on the back cover of this album, actually less than one might expect considering the stoned-out nature of the accompanying comics. These black-and-white illustrations by Kelly Fitzgerald are a great part of the record's enduring charm, but the music itself is deeper than the coolie hippie vibe.

This is simply a great roots rock album, and like much of Sahm's work it is loaded with complex details as well as loving interplay between the musicians. These tracks indicate a mastery of many basic forms such as blues, rhythm & blues, norteño, country, and Cajun and the players always seem to be probing beyond this to find something new. Creedence Clearwater Revival drummer Doug Clifford produced as well as played, and did a superior job, irrigating the proceedings with a range of available Sahm streams like some kind of master gardener. The use of horns is excellent, not only providing plenty of punch in the arrangements but memorable effects such as the spooky baritone sax solo on "Just Groove Me." A large section of the sonic spread is always reserved for Sahm's lush guitar playing, including lots of rock, country, and blues licks, while bassist Stu Cook sometimes adds additional guitar, expertly mocking the patented hypnotic John Fogerty sound for an effect that is not unlike Sahm sitting in on a Creedence album. Of course, the range of that classic '60s and '70s rock group seems quite limited compared to Sahm, who whips off an expert version of the Tex-Mex instrumental "La Cacahueta," the only track here which he did not compose himself. 

The well-crafted yet daringly personal and unembarrassed songs include haunting country-influenced ballads such as "Her Dream Man Never Came," as well as really top-notch examples of good old rock & roll, the hilarious "For the Sake of Rock 'N' Roll" and the bewitchingly cooking "Devil Heart." The second side of the original vinyl is one of this artist's most perfect set of songs. The final track, "Catch Me in the Morning," is one of several on this album that benefits from a long, satisfying arrangement -- hardly the kind of simple dirt that is often tossed off the shovel in the quest for roots rock. The band tends to move through these pieces with confidence, as if already expecting to have lost the attention of the simpletons in the crowd. At the same time, there are those listeners who will find it hard to believe a simple song, let alone such a magnum opus, could be created from the almost nonexistent message of this song. "Call me in the morning, I am too tired to talk right now," is just about all this song says, and it is one of the marvels of Sahm that he is able to parlay a near-operatic sense of importance into such a typical part of daily life. Giving him an instrumental credit for being a "dreamer" -- nicely enough, it comes right after the credit for bajo sexto -- is one of the most appropriate details, or "trips," on Groover's Paradise. 

by Eugene Chadbourne

Tracks
Disc 1 Doug Sahm And Band 1973
1. (Is anybody Going to) San Antone (Dave Kirby, Glen Martin) - 3:10
2. It's Gonna Be Easy (Atwood Allen) - 3:31
3. Your Friends (Deadric Malone) - 5:23
4. Poison Love (Elmer Laird) - 4:21
5. Wallflower (Bob Dylan) - 2:40
6. Dealer's Blues (Doug Sahm) - 2:59
7. Faded Love (B. Wills, J. Wills ) - 3:55
8. Blues Stay Away From Me (A. Delmore, H. Glover, R. Delmore, W. Raney) - 4:48
9. Papa Ain't Salty (Grover McDaniel, T-Bone Walker) - 4:30
10.Me And Paul (Willie Nelson) - 3:34
11.Don't Turn Around (Doug Sahm) - 3:28
12.I Get Off (Doug Sahm) - 2:39

Disc 2  Texas Tornado / Groovers Paradise 1973-74
1. San Francisco FM Blues - 3:31
2. Someday - 3:21
3. Blue Horizon - 4:25
4. Tennessee Blues (Bobby Charles) - 5:34
5. Ain't That Loving You (Deadric Malone) - 4:58
6. Texas Tornado - 2:58
7. Juan Mendoza - 2:57
8. Chicano - 2:18
9. I'll Be There (Dave Burgess) - 2:38
10.Hard Way - 2:13
11.Nitty Gritty - 3:08
12.Groover's Paradise - 3:25
13.Devil Heart - 4:26
14.Houston Chicks - 3:52
15.For The Sake Of Rock 'N Roll - 3:21
16.Beautiful Texas Sunshine - 3:17
17.Just Groove Me - 3:27
18.Girls Today - Don't Like To Sleep Alone - 2:31
19.La Cacahuata (Peanut) (Luis Guerrero) - 1:48
20.Her Dream Man Never Came - 3:13
21.Catch Me In The Morning - 5:09
All songs by Doug Sahm except where noted
Tracks 1-11 as The Sir Douglas Band

Musicians

1964-66  Sir Douglas Quintet - The Best Of ....Plus
1969-73  Sir Douglas Quintet - Mendocino (bonus material reissue)
1973  Doug Sahm - Doug Sahm And Band  

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Mott The Hoople - Mott (1973 uk, electrifying glam rock, 2006 remaster and expanded)

All the Young Dudes actually brought Mott the Hoople success, but you wouldn't know that from its sequel, Mott.  Ian Hunter's songs are a set of road tales fraught with exhaustion, disillusionment, and dashed dreams, all told with a wry sense of humor so evident on Mott's earlier work. This is no ordinary road album where a band whines about the perils of traveling -- it's more of a wry commentary on rock 'n' roll itself, which, as Hunter notes, is a loser's game. Mott doesn't sound that way, though -- it's as winning and infectious as rock 'n' roll gets. 

Even with the undercurrents of ironic despair and restrained hostility, this is a fun record (partially because of that despair and hostility, of course). This sounds better, looser, than All the Young Dudes, as the band jives through All the Way from Memphis and Honaloochie Boogie, beats the living hell outta Violence, swaggers on Whizz Kid, and simply drives it home on Drivin' Sister. 

Apart from the New York Dolls (who, after all, were in a league of their own), glam never sounds as rock as it does here. To top it all off, Hunter writes the best lament for rock ever with Ballad of Mott the Hoople, a song that conveys just how heartbreaking rock & roll is for the average band. If that wasn't enough, he trumps that song with the closer I Wish I Was Your Mother, a peerless breakup song that still surprises, even after it's familiar. It's a graceful, unexpected way to close a record that stands as one of the best of its era. 

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks
1. All the Way from Memphis - 5:02
2. Whizz Kid - 3:25
3. Hymn for the Dudes (Verden Allen, Ian Hunter) - 5:24
4. Honaloochie Boogie (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 2:43
5. Violence (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 4:48
6. Drivin’ Sister - 3:53
7. Ballad of Mott the Hoople (26th March 1972, Zurich) (Ian Hunter, Dale Buffin, Peter Watts, Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen) - 5:24
8. I’m a Cadillac/El Camino Dolo Roso (Mick Ralphs) - 7:51
9. I Wish I Was Your Mother - 4:52
10.Rose (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Peter Watts, Dale Buffin) - 3:56
11.Honaloochie Boogie (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 3:07
12.Nightmare (Verden Allen) - 3:36
13.Drivin' Sister (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 4:30
All songs written by Ian Hunter, except where indicated
Track 10 B-side of Honaloochie Boogie; produced by Mott The Hoople
Tracks 11-12 Demo recordings
Track 13 Live 1973 at the Hammersmith Odeon; produced by Dale Buffin Griffin

Mott The Hoople
*Ian Hunter - Vocals, Piano, Guitar
*Mick Ralphs - Vocals, Guitar
*Pete Overend Watts - Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Dale Buffin Griffin - Drums, Vocals, Percussion
Additional Personnel
*Paul Buckmaster - Electric Cello
*Morgan Fisher - Backing Vocals, Piano, Synthesizer
*Mick Hince - Bells
*Andy Mackay - Saxophone
*Graham Preskett - Violin
*Thunderthighs (Karen Friedman, Dari Lalou, Casey Synge) - Backing Vocals

1966/90  Doc Thomas Group And The Silence - The Italian Job / Shotgun Eyes
1969  Mott The Hoople - Mott The Hoople (2003 bonus tracks remaster)
1970  Mott The Hoople - Mad Shadows (2003 Extra Tracks Remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Wildlife (2003 japan bonus tracks remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Brain Capers (bonus tracks remaster)
1972  Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes (2006 bonus tracks remaster)

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Mott The Hoople - All The Young Dudes (1972 uk, exceptional classic rock with glam shine, 2006 bonus tracks remaster)

On the whole, classic rock radio is a pretty macho affair, full of Hot Legs, Big Balls, and Radar Love. In a certain respect, Mott the Hoople's biggest hit (and only contribution to American classic rock playlists) fits right in: All the Young Dudes is upfront with its sexual desire and horny, twenty-something lust. There is one catch: It's also a celebration of the glam's gender-bending aesthetic.

At the time of its release, Mott the Hoople were wallowing in obscurity despite releasing four albums of high-powered boogie. They were ready to pack it in, but David Bowie encouraged them to soldier on, offering Mott the chance to record Suffragette City. The band, though, wanted Drive-In Saturday, which Bowie wasn't willing to part with. All the Young Dudes was the compromise. In the short term, Bowie came out looking the genius, as the band briefly achieved the stardom they felt was rightfully theirs, kicking out their two best albums in the process. 

But it couldn't last, and by 1974, guitarist Mick Ralphs was off playing in Bad Company and Mott faded back to the margins.Mott the Hoople are still a widely respected and influential band, and it's pretty easy to hear why-- they've got the swagger, confidence, and riffs of glam and the basic approach of punk. 

That's not to mention vocalist Ian Hunter, whose voice was so limited and colorless that he probably made more than a few kids with guitars think if this guy can sing in a band, surely I can. The band, however, found countless ways to work around Hunter, from melodic harmonizing on the choruses that he could yelp and talk-sing over to clever lead guitar parts that Ralphs used to inject hooks into the verses.

So Hunter becomes the everyman, just trying to get by, and the tension between the band's chops and his lack of skill and range is oddly poignant. All the Young Dudes closes with the dejected piano ballad Sea Diver, a crushingly sad song that uses a diving bell as a metaphor for being trapped in a failed relationship. 

Hunter's inability to get through half an octave without cracking or morphing into a dock worker's shout sucks out all the maudlin potential of the piano part and string arrangement, turning them instead into a kind of security blanket. It's a strikingly emotional capstone to an album that mostly trades in funky rock and roll and leather-pantalooned swagger.

Young Dudes highlight Sucker is a slow, cowbell-guided rocker adorned with sax interjections from Bowie; it features a killer call-and-response between a harpsichord and a wordless backing vocal phrase on its chorus. The reissue appends a thunderous live version that suggests the band's true power wasn't really captured on any of its records. However, there's also a live version of Sweet Jane that's as forgettable as the studio version that leads off the original album. 

Conventional revisionist rock crit wisdom says this is a five-star record, but in truth it's not even close, and that song is a big part of the reason.Elsewhere, a primordial version of Ready for Love pales in comparison to the version Bad Company took into the charts two years later, but the band gets in some strong hard boogie tunes on Momma's Little Jewel (the early demo version added here, called Black Scorpio, is even nastier) and One of the Boys, the rocking follow-up single to All the Young Dudes. Bowie-philes will love the version of All the Young Dudes featuring his vocal, even though it's weaker than the version everyone knows.

by Joe Tangari

Tracks
1. Sweet Jane (Lou Reed) - 4:21
2. Momma's Little Jewel (Ian Hunter, Peter Watts) - 4:26
3. All the Young Dudes (David Bowie) - 3:32
4. Sucker (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Peter Watts) - 5:03
5. Jerkin' Crocus (Ian Hunter) - 4:00
6. One of the Boys (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 6:46
7. Soft Ground (Verden Allen) - 3:17
8. Ready for Love/After Lights (Mick Ralphs) - 6:47
9. Sea Diver (Ian Hunter) - 2:53
10.One of the Boys (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 4:18
11.Black Scorpio (Ian Hunter, Peter Watts) - 3:35
12.Ride on the Sun (Ian Hunter) - 3:36
13.One of the Boys (UK single version) (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs) - 4:21
14.All the Young Dudes (David Bowie) - 4:25
15.Sucker (Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Peter Watts) - 6:27
16.Sweet Jane (Lou Reed) - 5:00
Tracks 10-12 Demos Versions
Tracks 15,16 Live 1973 at the Hammersmith Odeon

Mott The Hoople
*Ian Hunter – Vocals, Piano
*Mick Ralphs – Guitar, Vocals (Except on Tracks 15, 16)
*Verden Allen – Organ, Vocals (Except on Tracks 15, 16)
*Pete Overend Watts – Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Dale Buffin Griffin – Drums, Vocals, Percussion
Additional Musicians
*Ariel Bender – Guitar, Vocals on  Tracks 15, 16
*Mick Bolton – Organ on Track 15
*David Bowie – Saxophones, Vocals on  Track 14
*Morgan Fisher – Organ, Mellotron on Track 12, Piano, Synthesizer, Vocals on Bonus Tracks 15, 16
*Ray Majors – Slide Guitar on  Track 11
*Mick Ronson – Strings, Brass Arrangement on Track 9
*Buddy Bauerle - Pan Flute
*Mike Walls - Hammond B3 Organ
*Jeff Hanover - Vibraslap

1966/90  Doc Thomas Group And The Silence - The Italian Job / Shotgun Eyes
1969  Mott The Hoople - Mott The Hoople (2003 bonus tracks remaster)
1970  Mott The Hoople - Mad Shadows (2003 Extra Tracks Remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Wildlife (2003 japan bonus tracks remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Brain Capers (bonus tracks remaster)

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Mott The Hoople - Mott The Hoople (1969 uk, superb debut album, 2003 bonus tracks remaster)

Enough works on Mott the Hoople's eponymous debut album, and enough is so imaginatively freewheeling, that it's easier to think of the record as a bit more successful than it actually is. After all, their combination of Stonesy swagger, Kinks-ian crunch, and Dylanesque cynicism is one of the great blueprints for hard rock, and its potential is apparent the moment their monumental instrumental "You Really Got Me" kicks off the record. This is followed by two covers, Doug Sahm's "At the Crossroads" and Sonny Bono's "Laugh at Me," that demonstrate their musicality more than their depth, since all three of these songs sound like they derive from the same vantage point. 

Then, to cap it off, Ian Hunter turns in "Backsliding Fearlessly" and Mick Ralphs gives Mott their first anthem with the pile-driving "Rock and Roll Queen." Up to this point, Mott the Hoople is wildly imaginative and invigorating, and that's enough to make this a fine debut, even if it falls off the tracks during the second side. The first side and those two originals reveal a band whose rowdy power is matched by sly humor, clever twists, and fierce intelligence -- all qualities they built a career on, and this blueprint still stands the test of time. 

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks
1. You Really Got Me (Ray Davies) 2.55
2. At the Crossroads (Doug Sahm) 5.33
3. Laugh at Me (Sony Bono) 6.32
4. Backsliding Fearlessly (Ian Hunter) 3.47
5. Rock and Roll Queen (Mike Ralphs) 5.10
6. Rabbit Foot and Toby Time (Mike Ralphs)2.04
7. Half Moon Bay (Mike Ralphs, Ian Hunter) 10.38
8. Wrath and Wroll (Guy Stevens) 1.49
9. Ohio (Neil Young) 4.26
10.Find Your Way (Mike Ralphs) 3.30
Bonus Tracks 9-10

Mott The Hoople
*Ian Hunter - Lead Vocals, Piano
*Pete "Overend" Watts - Bass
*Mick Ralphs - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Verden Allen - Organ
*Dale Griffin - Drums

1966/90  Doc Thomas Group And The Silence - The Italian Job / Shotgun Eyes
1970  Mott The Hoople - Mad Shadows (2003 Extra Tracks Remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Wildlife (2003 japan bonus tracks remaster)
1971  Mott The Hoople - Brain Capers (bonus tracks remaster)

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Trapeze - Live At The Boat Club (1975 uk, strong tight hard classic rock with funky feeling, 2003 release)

Trapeze began in Wolverhampton, England in March 1969. The original five piece band consisted of Mel Galley, Glen Hughes, Dave Holland and ex-Montanas John Jones and Terry Rowley. They made their television debut on July 7th 1969 on the BBC show 'Colour Me Pop' which showcased new talent in the music industry. It was eagerly viewed by the A&R departments of record companies looking to sign new bands to their roster. Trapeze walked off with the 'Most Popular Group' award and were besieged by offers of recording contracts. They eventually settled with the Moody Blues label Threshold and recorded their first album simply titled Trapeze' in 1969, which received rave reviews and important airplay on the BBC's Radio 1.

With tours booked to take in both Europe and America, an underlying change of direction started to develop in the camp. The gentler harmonies on their first album were to get heavier and this led to both Rowley and Jones leaving the band. Trapeze then became a trio of Mel Galley, Glen Hughes and Dave Holland, which played with a higher energy, harder rock approach. Their second album 'Medusa' containing the classic tracks 'Black Cloud' and 'Jury' was released on 13th November 1970 to excellent reviews. It proved to be the watershed of their career and it started a growing interest in the USA with big demand from concert promoters and radio stations. The largest fan base developed in the South as Trapeze shared equal billing with bands like ZZ Top, headlining large arenas. In Houston, they sold out two shows in one night, literally bringing the house down as the balcony collapsed due to excess fans and weight.

The demand from America meant that Trapeze made fewer appearances in their native UK, although when they did return, Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham would always try and catch up with the band, often joining them on stage for the encore. He once said that "Trapeze are the best three piece band I have ever seen". Other fans of the band included: Gary Moore, Jimmy Page, Bonnie Rait, David Bowie, Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder. Due to their hectic touring schedule, there was no new album from the band in 1971 as they didn't have time to write new material. However, in the summer of 1972, sessions with a new producer began for their next album, which was finished by December. The third I album titled 'You Are The Music..We're Just The Band' was a classic and again received universal critical acclaim. The new material added depth and merged funk and soul with " white power rock. In just three and a half years, the band had notched up six tours of America and two classic rock albums. It was regarded in the States that Trapeze were just one album away from superstar status but in June 1973, things were about to change. After : watching the band several times, Deep Purple 3 on the look-out for someone to fill the vacancy left by departing bass guitarist Roger Glover,  made Glen Hughes an offer few could have refused. Glenn joined Purple in time for the 'BURN' sessions and tour, initially seen as a . devastating blow to Trapeze.

Having finished with Warners, Trapeze then played a series of live gigs to complete their existing commitments as a band before they temporarily disbanded. This live set was recorded during that period, originally for a live radio broadcast. It captures the band in fine form playing funky riffs and favourite songs to a small enthusiastic audience at Nottingham's legendary Boat Club, a venue which has seen many major British rock bands pass through. Just weeks later, Mel Galley and Dave Holland had joined up with ex-Moody Blues John Lodge and Justin Hayward in The Blue Jays. Trapeze reformed in late 1976 with Pete Goalby taking over the vocals for the album 'Hold On'. In 1979 original drummer Dave Holland decided to quit the band and join heavy metal band- Judas Priest, notching up seven albums and countless world tours. Trapeze finally disbanded again in 1981 when guitarist Mel Galley joined David Coverdale's Whitesnake touring the world non stop for the next two years. In 1994, to celebrate their 25*n anniversary, Trapeze reformed once more with the 'Medusa' trio of Galley, Hughes and Holland touring both the UK and their old stomping ground the USA.

It was great fun recording and touring with the band throughout the 1970s. I suppose overall, my favourite album was 'You Are The Music' but when Glen left the band, we still had much to offer and decided to become a four piece adding Rob and Pete who quickly gelled together. After a short period of rehearsals, we left for a US  tour and then went in to record studio sessions for our 1974 album 'Hot Wire'which I still think is a great album. Our sound while still funky, became more harder, rockier and less souly. We introduced some of the new songs and I took over all the vocals and, shared lead guitar with Rob using as always my black Les Paul. I didn't really go for effects but used an occasional wah wah. One of my favourite tracks to play live was 'Black Cloud' which remained in the set throughout the 1970s. We were playing large 10-20,000 seater venues in the southern states where we had a strong following. One of the highlights I guess, was playing the Cotton Bowl in Dallas with The Stones, The Eagles and Montrose. Although we played smaller venues when returning back home, it was good to play venues like The Marquee and The Boat Club where there was always a great noisy crowd and good rocking atmosphere. This recording was made just before we decided to take a break. Our record contract had finished and we wanted time to write new material. It was one of the last gigs by the four piece of Dave, Pete, Rob and myself. Hope you like it.

by Mel Galley 2003

Tracks
1. Back Street Love (Mel Galley, Tom Galley) - 5:13
2. You Are The Music (Mel Galley) - 5:20
3. Jury (Mel Galley) - 14:00
4. Star Breaker (Mel Galley) - 3:37
5. Way Back To The Bone (Glenn Hughes) - 9:45
6. Medusa (Glenn Hughes) - 8:08
7. Black Cloud (Mel Galley, Tom Galley) - 15:30
8. Sunny Side Of The Street (Mel Galley, Tom Galley) - 2:58
9. The Raid (Mel Galley) - 3:55

Trapeze
*Mel Galley - Guitars, Lead Vocals
*Rob Kendrick - Guitars
*Pete Wright - Bass
*Dave Holland - Drums, Percussion
With
*Terry Rowley - Synthesiser

1974  Trapeze - Hot Wire (2015 remaster)
1975  Trapeze - Trapeze (2015 remaster)

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Jimmy Campbell - Half Baked (1970-71 uk, magnificent folk rock with baroque psych and classic rock shades, 2009 extra track remaster)

1970's Half Baked (released on Philips' subsidiary Vertigo), is an upbeat and somewhat raucous album. It has more of a 'band' feel than "Son of Anastasia" which is the benefit of using musicians that Jimmy knew - Merseybeats members Tony Crane, Billy Kinsley and drummer Pete Clarke. Another Merseybeats drummer, Phil Chittick, appeared on some of the tracks too and there were lush orchestral arrangements by Nick Ryan and Donald Fraser.

The countrified opener 'Green Eyed American Actress' highlighted words that Campbell would have been justified to repeat in years to come after commercial success had eluded him. The lyrics "I could have made it easily, why I didn't - well I really don't know" were, in hindsight, quite poignant. In reality, Campbell's reluctance to spend more time away from home ultimately prevented him making a real breakthrough - Billy Kinsley states in the sleevenotes that "I think Jimmy would have preferred just being a songwriter and not having to be bothered by a solo career".

Elsewhere on "Half Baked, the sonically superb tour-de-force 'So Lonely Without You' is comfortably on a par with anything recorded by the Plastic Ono Band - it boasts a Phil Spector-esque production and one of Jimmy's strongest ever vocals. It's testament to the strength and diversity of the album that it can veer from a track like this, and the epic piano-led rocker 'That's Right, That's Me', to the plaintive and reflective nature of songs such as 'In My Room', 'I Will Not Mind' and 'Closing Down The Shop'.

Other highlights are the brooding title track, which explodes into a driving monster of a chorus that features Badfinger's Joey Molland on guitar, and the melodramatic and impressively orchestrated single 'Don't Leave Me Now'.

There's a bonus track in the form of the stomping 'Lonely Norman' that uses a similar groove to Nilsson's 'Jump Into The Fire' and features some wild guitar playing by Eddie Grant from The Equals. This song originally appeared on the Vertigo sampler "Heads Together, First Round". Compared to Repertoire's "Half Baked" CD reissue of a few years ago, Esoteric's version sounds vastly superior and is probably the best entry point to Campbell's work for a newcomer.

by Jim Henderson

Tracks
1. Green Eyed American Actress - 2:47
2. Loving You Is All I Do - 3:17
3. So Lonely Without You - 2:56
4. In My Room - 4:22
5. That's Right That's Me - 3:51
6. I Will Not Mind - 3:22
7. Dulcie - It's December - 2:49
8. Forever Grateful - 2:35
9. Half Baked - 4:38
10.Closing Down the Shop - 2:41
11.Don't Leave Me Now - 5:55
12.Lonely Norman - 3:23
Words and Music by Jimmy Campbell

Musicians
*Jimmy Campbell - Guitar, Vocals
*Pete Clarke - Drums
*Tony Crane  - Guitar
*Billy Kinsley - Bass
*Phil Chittick - Drums
*Nick Ryan - Orchestral Arrangements
*Donald Fraser - Orchestral Arrangements

1965-67  The 23rd Turnoff - The Dream Of Michaelangelo (2004 remaster)
1969  Jimmy Campbell - Son Of Anastasia (2009 remaster bonus track issue)
1972  Jimmy Campbell - Jimmy Campbell's Album (2009 remaster)

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Year 2000 - A Musical Odyssey (1969 us, awesome groovy soulful psych rock, 2013 remaster)

Florida-based band Year 2000 released a full length album in 1969 called, A Musical Odyssey which had small regional success with their tune “Pop Goes The Weasel”. They dissolved later that same year. “Spooky” is a serious slow-burner that drags one foot in soul, the other in pop. The deep haunting organ swirls effectively around a simple beat and scratchy guitar.

The sound is similar to the Long Island groups of the era (Vanilla Fudge, Hassles, Rascals etc.) heavy on the Hammond organ, soulful vocals, with a touch of psychedelia.

Tracks
1. Working So Hard (Artie Alice) - 2:44
2. Spooky (Ron Hirsch) - 4:05
3. Love Love Love (Artie Alice) - 2:52
4. Something About You (Artie Alice) - 2:28
5. Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett, Steve Cropper) - 4:09
6. Walking In Dry Rain - 3:11
7. Perfect Love (John Lacentra) - 3:21
8. Get Ready (William "Smokey" Robinson) - 3:26
9. Tell Nobody (Alex Bradford) - 2:31
10.Of Hallowed Minds (Mike Hilliker) - 3:06
11.Life In Confusing (Mike Hilliker) - 4:14
12.Cheetah (Gonzalo Vazquez) - 4:20
13.Little Child - 2:53
14.La Bamba (Traditional) - 2:42
15.Pop Goes The Weasel - 2:17

The Year 2000
*Artie Alice - Drums
*Billy Adams - Bass
*Mickey ? - Lead Guitar
*Michael ? - Hammond Organ
*? - Vocals
*Little Guy ? - Guitar

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The Bleu Forest - A Thousand Trees Deep (1968 us, tremendous garage psychedelia, 2016 release)

In late 1965, drummer Jack Caviness was recruited by guitarists and vocalists Michael Cullen and Gary Heuer. All were from the same small town, Moorpark, CA. The three of us worked on original songs written by Michael for 6 months. At that point we added Ed Steele on bass guitar and spent time bringing him into the fold.

When ready we began playing small gigs around Moor parkand surrounding areas and received a good reception on the original music. Then we were booked into 'an open mic night at the Troubadour in Hollywood. That is where we were discovered by future music icon Jimmy Haskell. Mr. Haskell immediately scheduled us to record a demo at his home studio which we did. We could never have believed what happened next.

Both Gary and Michael were drafted were drafted into the armed service as Vietnam war was going strong. Both evacuated themselves to Canada, they were there several months prior to Gary's return. We then reformed the original members less Michael, added Larry Wiseman on keyboards and Rohn Barkley on le guitar and vocals. With Michael's blessing we used the original music written by him and added more original songs to our set. We were now off and running as the Bleu Forest heard on this album. That's when Jimmy Haskell called.

He had scheduled us to go into Valley Recording Studios in North Hollywood, CA. to record what you are hearing on this album, A Thousand. Trees Deep. Upon arriving there we met our engineer, Freddie Piro, another future icon of the LA recording industry. Freddie had produced The Grassroots previously and would go on to work with Ambrosia and many others. We spent over six months recording the album and another month was spent mastering.

This album was recorded on a very  but new for the time period Ampex 8 track 2" recorder. At that time, it was state of the art. I don't recall the brand of mixer used, but it did take up quite a great deal of space at the engineer’s console.  When we first came in to begin recording, we attempted to play at the volume we used live and the engineer freaked out and demanded we lower the volume. This was very confusing to us because it altered our sound dramatically. That is where the fuzz tone came into play. Our live sound was based more on very loud overloaded amplifiers for distortion rather than on devices. In a live environment, the fuzz was only used as an overdrive, not as a fuzz tone. The actual studio was only one room, 20' x 30', with one isolation booth at the rear. The booth was only used for overdubs (I wanted to isolate the drums but to no avail).

They used one mic per amplifier with no baffles between and three mics on my drums. I played a state of the art set of Ludwig "Super Hollywood" drums with a Rogers dyna-sound snare and all Zildgen cymbals. They were awesome sounding live but are not as pronounced on the recordings insofar none of the cymbals were individually miked.

To expand a bit on the abrupt beginning on the opening track: During the time period in which this was done, engineers and producers were trying many things that make no sense today. For instance, tracks played in reverse and recorded were very popular such as the one heard on Bitter Sweet, which, by the way, was entirely rearranged from the live version. They did not like all of the stops and starts from the live version which added greatly, in my opinion, to the dynamics of the song. 

When I really think back on the recording process one thing comes to mind: The entire six month process was completely paid for by both Freddie Piro and Jimmy Haskell because of their belief that the band could become something far more than a "garage band". They believed enough in us to really go on and hit the big time. They personal accepted all of the costs themselves. This is why we simply went along with what we were told would work or not work in the studio. The abrupt ' ginning to track one was simply something that had not been done before and they believed it would be accepted as different and unique.

There was much interest from various major companies  in Hollywood. We had a tentative deal with Tower Records pending some remastering. Several months passed during this period and Rohn left the group for personal reasons. Without our vocalist, we had no record deal. Although there were some creative ideas brought forth to a few of the songs during mastering, I believe that these tracts give a general idea of our sound, although our live sound was much heavier as it was performed much louder. I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I enjoyed performing it.

by Jack Caviness

Tracks
1. A Thousand Trees Deep (Lorrainene Lopez) - 2:01
2. Look At Me Girl (Michael Cullen) - 3:32
3. Bitter Street (Michael Cullen) - 2:41
4. Story Of A Sort (Michael Cullen) - 3:43
5. That’s When Happiness Began (Rohn Barkley) - 2:24
6. Words In My Mind (Jack Caviness) - 2:59
7. Through With You (Rohn Barkley) - 2:43
8. She Said She’s Leaving (Michael Cullen) - 4:00
9. Knock Knock (Rohn Barkley) - 2:46
10.Trouble (Rohn Barkley) - 2:40

The Bleu Forest
*Mike Cullen - Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Jack Caviness - Drums
*Rohn Barkley - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Gary Heuer - Guitar, Vocals
*Ed Steele - Bass
*Larry Wiseman - Keyboards

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Elephant's Memory - Songs From Midnight Cowboy (1969 uk, fantastic psych rock with jazz and folk shades, 2006 remaster)

After original vocalist Carly Simon left Elephant's Memory for her own fame and fortune, the band recorded their self-titled Buddah debut, Elephant's Memory, with Michal Shapiro handling the female lead. That disc is not their John Lennon/Yoko Ono/David Peel Apple Records debut from 1972, which was also named after this ensemble. When two Elephant's Memory songs from the 1969 Buddah Records album appeared in the Capitol Records soundtrack to the film Midnight Cowboy, Buddah vice president Neil Bogart revamped and re-released the original LP, most likely and understandably, to cash in on the attention the band was getting from the hit film. "Old Man Willow" and "Jungle Gym at the Zoo" from the first LP appeared in Midnight Cowboy, and they show up again on side one of this disc along with a different spin on the Nilsson hit "Everybody's Talkin'."

Here Michal Shapiro gives a woman's take on the classic Fred Neil composition over a poppy/folksy Wes Farrell production. There's a strange instrumental version of John Barry's theme to "Midnight Cowboy," jazzy rock with a female vocal, most likely Michal, adding a nice eerie resonance to the spirited and jumpy rendition, a far cry from the version that contained Vinny Bell's elegant guitar, the Top Ten hit for Ferrante & Teicher in 1969. The two new titles as well as the Elephant's Memory material from the movie make up side one. Side two contains seven more titles from the first LP, including the singles that were released from that disc, "Crossroads of the Stepping Stones" and "Don't Put Me on Trial," two excellent slices of '60s pop. Over 40 minutes of music graces Songs From Midnight Cowboy Plus Their Hit Singles, the two new titles plus everything from the Buddah debut minus the songs "Band of Love" and "Hot Dog Man" (which was the flip of the 45 rpm "Jungle Gym at the Zoo"). 

The album could have been even more interesting had their 45 rpm "Keep Free, Pts. 1 & 2" from November 1968 found its way onboard rather than the reissue of "Yogurt Song," a composition from keyboardist Richard Sussman and drummer Rick Frank which sounds like a Frank Zappa nightmare. Other than that, the album actually is quite consistent and is lots of fun. Later releases Take It to the Streets and Angels Forever don't have the pop meets psychedelia underground feel of this neo-bubblegum period piece. 

by Joe Viglione

Tracks
1. Everybody's Talkin (Fred Neil) - 3:50
2. Old Man Willow (Richard Sussman, Michal Shapiro, Myron Yules, Stan Bronstein) - 7:07
3. Midnight Cowboy (John Barry) - 2:58
4. Jungle Gym At The Zoo (Richard Sussman, Rick Frank, Stan Bronstein) - 2:15
5. Crossroads Of The Stepping Stones (Michal Shapiro, Stan Bronstein) - 2:56
6. Don't Put Me On Trial No More (Richard Sussman, Rick Frank) - 2:52
7. Super Heep (Siegrid Visconti, Stan Bronstein) - 5:32
8. R.I.P (Stan Bronstein, Richard Sussman) - 1:43
9. Yogurt Song (Richard Sussman, Rick Frank) - 2:58
10.Band Of Love (Myron Yules, Stan Bronstein, Tony Visconti, Siegrid Visconti) - 4:11
11.Takin' A Walk (Richard Sussman, Rick Frank, Michal Shapiro, Stan Bronstein) - 3:49
12.Hot Dog Man (Tony Visconti, Siegrid Visconti) - 3:34
13.Brief Encounter (Richard Sussman) - 4:38

Elephant's Memory
*Michal Shapiro - Vocals
*Stan Bronstein - Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Vocals
*Rick Frank - Drums
*John Ward - Bass
*Chester Ayers - Guitar
*Myron Yules - Bass, Trombone
*Richard Sussman - Piano, Organ
*Leonard Allcock - Harmonica
*Guy Peritore - Guitar, Vocals
*David Cohen - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals

1969  Elephant's Memory - Elephant's Memory
1972  Elephant's Memory - Elephant's Memory

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Marvin Gardens - Marvin Gardens (1968 us, magical psych folk rock, 2016 release)

A phenomonal anthology of rare demos, studio and live recordings from late-60s, second-wave, San Francisco, Electric-Folk pioneers Marvin Gardens. All live tracks recorded by Peter Abram (Velvet Underground The Matrix Tapes) at the legendary Matrix Club in San Francisco. 1968 includes virtually every note Marvin Gardens recorded, and provides a tantalizing glimpse at a uniquely wonderful group. With a powerful female lead singer, Carol Duke, on par with Janis Joplin and Grace Slick, and a versatile and mesmerizing band that goes from playful folk to Latin-tinged jazz vamps to searing, guitar-fuelled garage rave-ups, Marvin Gardens could have been a major artist if the stars had been aligned.

“Had the Charlatans been joined by Country Joe’s keyboard player and fronted by an earthy female singer, they might’ve sounded like Marvin Gardens…”  

by Mike Stax

Tracks
1. Down The Line (Bob Dylan) - 3:08
2. Titanic (Huddie Ledbetter) - 2:08
3. Close The Door Lightly (Eric Andersen) - 3:45
4. Duncan And Brady (Traditional) - 3:03
5. 97 Men (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - 3:29
6. Whips And Leathers (Dave Ray Costuros, Carol Duke, Tim Hazen, Michael Lindner, Fred Waxler) - 3:29
7. Down The Line (Bob Dylan) - 3:23
8. Larry Welz Dedication- 0:32
9. Gloryland (Traditional) - 5:00
10.I Know You Rider (Traditional) - 4:32
11.Baltimore Oriole (Hoagy Carmichael, Paul Francis Webster) - 6:47
12.Titanic (Huddie Ledbetter) - 2:53
13.Richland Woman Blues (Mississippi John Hurt) - 5:17
14.Duncan And Brady (Traditional) - 3:39
15.The Whisper Song (Cliff Friend) - 2:39
16.Ananias (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - 6:39
17.97 Men (Buffy Sainte-Marie) - 3:55
18.Have A Drink On Me (Peter Buchanan, Lonnie Donegan, Huddie Ledbetter, Alan Lomax, John A. Lomax) - 4:22
19.Good Night Ladies (Edwin Christy) - 2:15

The Marvin Gardens
*Dave Ray Costuros - Drums, Vocals, Trumpet
*Carol Duke - Vocals, Guitar
*Tim Hazen - Farfisa, Hammond Organ, Piano, Guitars, Vocals, Mandolin
*Michael Lindner - Bass
*Fred Waxler - Guitars, Clarinet

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Lighthouse - Good Day (1974 canada, brilliant prog rock, 2016 remaster)

Having been named "Vocal/Instrumental Group of the Year" for the third time at Canada's prestigious Juno Awards in 1973, Lighthouse entered Thunder Sound in Toronto the following year to record their final album. Downplaying the horn-heavy sound that had previously defined them, it's a taut set of progressive rock with prominent synth and it sees founder member and drummer Skip Prokop switching to lead guitar. 

Vocalist Bob McBride curiously failed to show up to the studio where Lighthouse was recording its 1973 album Can You Feel It, Skip Prokop and Ralph Cole shared singing duties for the band’s ninth studio album. Still, 1974’s Good Day featured “Wide Eyed Lady" a psychedelic ballad co-penned by McBride. Good Day rocks noticeably harder than most preceding Lighthouse albums. This is softened by the pillowy layers of backing vocals and the band’s propensity to infuse orchestral string arrangements (as heard in the opening epic, “White Buffalo”). 

Tracks
1. White Buffalo (Skip Prokop) - 5:46
2. Wide Eyed Lady (Skip Prokop, Don Dinovo, Bob Mcbride) - 5:12
3. Got A Feeling (Ralph Cole) - 3:50
4. Be Here Now (Sam See, L. J. Reid) - 3:29
5. Good Day (Ralph Cole) - 4:46
6. Man, Woman, Child (Skip Prokop) - 3:20
7. Mighty Waters (Ralph Cole) - 5:06
8. Going Downtown (Skip Prokop) - 6:40
9. Reincarnate Nation (Skip Prokop) - 7:09

The Lighthouse
*Skip Prokop - Guitar, Vocals
*Ralph Cole - Guitar, Vocals
*Terry Wilkens - Bass, Vocals
*Sam See - Keyboards
*Billy King - Drums
*Don Dinovo - Violina
*Dick Armin - Cello
*Dale Hillary - Saxophones, Flute
*Rick Stepton – Trombone

Lighthouse
1969  Lighthouse (2012 extra tracks edition)
1969  Lighthouse - Suite Feeling (2010 Korean remaster)
1970  Peacing It All Together (2010 korean remaster)
1971  One Fine Morning
1971  Thoughts Of Movin' On (2016 edition)
1972  Sunny Days (2008 RDI issue)
1973  Can You Feel It?  (2008 RDI issue)
Related Acts
1967  The Paupers - Magic People
1968  The Paupers · Ellis Island  (2008 remaster)
1969  The Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield And Al Kooper
1969  Michael Bloomfield with Nick Gravenites And Friends - Live At Bill Graham's Fillmore West (2009 remaster and expanded) 

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