HONEYMOON DISEASE-THE TRANSENDENCE-

Perhaps the few years of great bands coming out of Scandinavia push more minds to explore their inner Dream of a real `70s rock band succés?? This outfit from Gothenburg Sweden released their album debut in november 2015 and why not? This is a thinner shade of Lizzy with great ingredients from both Masters like, the Hellacopter´s and perhaps they been dipping a bit in The Donna´s scent of style.

The production got great resemblence to Swedish rock records during the late ´90s and early ´00s. No song stand out as a true goldmine but no one falls off the wagon either. The heritage of great Scandinavian band´s shines through and perhaps this is the biggest problem. The familiar feeling that you have Heard this Before is eminent and this is a big, steep hill to climb. The band could be sorted in the shelf as Heavy Tiger, Graveyard and Horisont. All great Swedish rock´n´roll acts. This is gonna be a hard nut to crack for the band when the second album arrives in  late October 2017.

Whatabout the drummer, Jimi??( I couldn´t find the last name) Well this is not was I expected. The cautious approach towards the songs brings down the grade. The striking abilities are at avarage at maximum and there is a lack of drive. I wanna feel the drums through the speakers but it is all to soft in the hit department. This dude must upgrade a sincere attitude to match the premier league of drummers. I´m not impressed…Sorry.

As for all your ´70s lovers out there this is a great compromise to the original stuff. Decent CD´s are out there and prices are fair. The new album will get released on vinyl and perhaps we will get a more focused sound frame and personal approach?? As the saying goes-“hope is the last to leave” 🙂

VINYLRATING/GRADE

-4-CHEESY-AVARAGE-

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MARIAH-MARIAH-

This album from 1976 was stillborn already at it´s release. As this may pass as an AOR/Hard/Classic rock record the feeling of not getting through with the message is eminent. Originated from Chicago the band relocated to L.A in in 1974 after a record deal with Warner Brother´s but this release didn´t create the ripples as was the idea. This album just ended up in the middle of nowhere…

The production is timetypical with focus on the vocal harmonys by V.J Comforte and the great guitar playing by  Len Fogerty and Ken Sullivan (later in “Survivor”)  got all ingredients for succes. The radio friendly songs are all up with a high standard formula and this could easily been a release by Styx or even Kansas. The brief story about Mariah ends in 1977 when sales figures just imploded both the band and the label.

Whatabout the drummer, Wayne DiVarko?? Not to my surprise, this fellow is just Another mediocre drummer that doesn´t use his potentionel drumming skills due to the style of Music. All is nice and tidy with no personal impact or striking abilities to die for. The hit ratio is under avarage and there´s not much to tickle your senses  in this album. A sad day for all drummers….

If you´re in to AOR/Hard/Classic rock this odd jewel maybe the lost favourite you been looking for. The songs are even with no lighthouse standout tune but there´s no tombstone highlight either. Great copies are out there for less Money but this one maybe should be the  low price vinylfair surprise instead?? As a car, no-brainer, ride along Music this one´s unbeatable.  A toetapping and finger drumming Classic!  🙂

VINYLRATING/GRADE

4-CHEESY-AVARAGE-

JODO-GUTS-

As this is Another mystery outfit from the beginning of the ´70s and perhaps this still fuel the stories about no scrutiny record labels trying to make Money on the other side of the Atlantic by this timeperiod. Formed in the UK as Axe this is the only album from Jodo and released in 1971. It was only put out in America and for some reason, New Zeeland and there are little or none information available about the members from the album cover.

The album was recorded by the Decca label with Derek Lawrence as a producer and Martin Birch as engineer. The production is top notch and Guitarist and founder of Jodo, Rod Alexander, who was a common name in the brittish Music scene, puts on some serious riffs on this album. The mix of the songs are borrowed from Cream, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and with some additional prog seasoning. The great vocal input with several harmony passages belongs to Earl Jordan and William E Kimber. Talk about bluesrock in harmony!! 🙂

Whatabout the drummer, Brian “Chico” Greenwood?? This is a great studio drummer that appears on several recordings. Steady striking abilities with a great drive and solid hit ratio brings all songs up several notches. This is very well played all the way!! A question mark is raised upon the wereabouts for this talanted drummer?? I have to do a thourough search in this matter.  Awesome performance.

Great copies for this rare album are out there for some big bucks AND if your a fan for Brittish Blues/hard/Prog rock this is one of the best purchases in the genre. If you are in doubt there´s Always the CD reissue to go for. My advice is to save up the Money and go for the vinyl, it´s to good not to have in your own possession….:-) I just wonder, who´s the man with the bike??

VINYLRATING/GRADE

-7-VERY GOOD!-GAME, SET AND MATCH-

BAND OF LIGHT-TOTAL UNION-

This Hard/Blues rock outfit had their hayday between 1972-1974 and originates from Australia. This is their debut album and is a sought after vinyl in original pressing. The “Key” member Phil Key brought along partner Peter Roberts who got fired after Three gigs and then replaced by Ian Rilen on bass. The splendid slide guitar work is provided by Norm Roue.

The album was released in 1972 by WEA and is a top notch produced funky hard driven blues album. The songs are all by Peter Key and his wife (the collaboration under the name “Wheel”). The interaction between the drums and bass together with the excellent slide guitar is the most memorable about this album. The songs are there but as Always with the blues it is hard to evolve without slipping into Another genre.Talk about the boomerang effect.

Whatabout the drummer, Tony Beuttel?? This is like a Swiss Clockwork and there´s never a slightest bit of misplacing a single stroke. This is as boring,( or good?), as listening to a piece of machinery in a workshop. Nothing is deliberatley pushed, driven or for that matter put in a Another dynamic perspective. This guy is good but so boring that his impact will never will step into the light..sorry..  🙂

This Hard/Blues rock album got a hefty pricetag on it and the numbers are shifting. If you Think this the best album ever released than there´s no hesitation for purhasing it. For all of us that do see the benefit of great records from Australia maybe just should consider the CD reissue for the time being. There will be better albums further on up the road. You just gotta have the patience…. 🙂

VINYLRATING/GRADE

-5-OK!-WORTH EXPLORING-

AEROBLUS-AEROBLUS-

This album is nowadays much more common due to great recordsites all over the World. This does not take the edge of the obscurity of the record and here´s why. The Word “Powertrio” should be accompanied by an album of this Group.

As Pappo, the great Argentinian guitarist, wondered around for an Another outfit to go beyond the borders from Pappo´s Blues band this is what finally materialised. A Heavy/Blues/Prog rock record with bass player Alejendro Medina and Brazilian drummer Rolando Castello Junior released in 1977. This is probably one of the best Hardrock driven albums of all time. The Production is rough with the right “live” feeling with few overdubs and terrific interaction between the drums  and the bass. Vocals are a bit over the top but as I don´t know what the lyrics are about thats more of a small notice…. 🙂

Whatabout the drummer, Rolando Castillo Junior??? As Pappo had to find the drummer for this outfitin Another country, he got what he was looking for. This hard driven drummer with exceptional hit ratio and out of this World striking abilities is just what  gives this album it´s soul. All songs are strong but it is the drumming that just brings them over the top and with a furious interaction with the bass this is just unprecedented in the Heavy/Hard /Prog rock scene by this time. This is such a good record in this genre that very few will come up to it´s standard…EVER!! 🙂  Argentina ROCKS!! 🙂

As this album is the holy grail for many collectors the price tag is insane. The advice is to go for the CD reissue and spread the Music to a wider Community so we can get some good reissues on vinyl. THAT´S AN ORDER!!! This is one of the ultimate beer and BBQ party records of all time.

I´m out of words…..Just fabulous….. 🙂

VINYLRATING/GRADE

-9-DIVINE!-A MASTERPIECE, WOULD MAKE YOU WANNA LEAVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND-

CWT-THE HUNDREDWEIGHT-

As this album hits the turntable you just crack up in a funny face and then it hits you once more. WTF!  Why haven´t I Heard this Before?? A Heavy input with gruesome guitar riffs a insane bassplaying style and then like icing on the cake, Brass arrangements to twist this album into total obscurity!! Just fabulous!! Never Heard anything like it!! This is mixed, not stirred, in the best way possible!! Cheers!

This outfit from Great Britain formed in 1972 and made their only album in 1973. They split up the same year. The production is fuzzy and it fits right in time with Hard/Prog/Psych/jazz rock. All instruments interact in a timetypical way and there´s no chance I would have it Another  Way. This is a time document that just nod´s your head and brings the feet to tap along. The songs are strong with growling sincere vocal input and some fine line passages that almosts get corny. The more you spin this goldmine on the turntable the more you get involved. That is a supergrade in my book!! 🙂

Whatabout the drummer, Collin White?? This achievment on this record is perhaps one of the most strong one´s ever recorded. There´s  tons of material to copy cat and the drive together with the bassplayer is just smashing. The technical abilities are top notch together with the striking and hit ratio just make you wanna wish it was you who played the drums on this beast of a an album. Everybody just goes all in and that is all that Counts in the end!! Super performance!!

Take an advice and skip the refurbishment on the livingroom this time and put your Money on this album instead. There are great reissues for no Money at all and will bring timeless more satisfaction than new wallpaper…Original copies are expensive but then you will get it released on Kuckuck records and I´m not gonna tell you what that means in Swedish…:-)

VINYLRATING/GRADE

-8-EXCELLENT-HEAD ON RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES COLLISION WITH A FREIGHT TRAIN-

MURASAKI-MURASAKI-

As this outfit from Okinawa does what it can to Copycat the sound and style from first of all , Deep Purple, there´s much to be discovered underneath the layers of terrific songwriting and personal expression. As Murasaki means “Purple” in Japanese there´s no doubt where the biggest influence come from. Yet there are several passages cleverly borrowed from both Uriah Heep and maybe, a bit from Camel.

This release from 1975 is great in the production with splendid interaction between the guitar/bass and organ. The Twin riffs just never fails to deliver and the lyrics are familiar with a personal Okinawa seasoning to it. This outfit would be the frontrunners comming up with the sound known as the Okinawa rock movement and frontman George Murasaki is a big, if not the biggest, influence. This is probably the greatest Deep Purple pretenders ever, and that is ment as a compliment!! 🙂

Whatabout the drummer, Eiichi Miyanaga?? Well, Ian Paice got some stiff competition here. Mr Miyanaga got both the ability to drive hard with high striking abilities and terrific hit ratio. The dynamics are solid and superb and there´s not much more to ask for. As this outfit almost could be taken for a high end Deep Purple cover act, this is not the solid truth. The songs are in some passages just Blueprint copies of the original but that tend to sving into to more sophisticated arrangements which in my book are damn good impressive. I like this a lot and who saw that coming?? 🙂 Thumbs up!!

There are splendid copies out there for decent buck and why not, just give yourself a chance to spice up you Purple Collection with the next best thing..and might I just add.. “Made In Japan!”  Just hilarious… 🙂

VINYLRATING/GRADE

-6-VERY GOOD!-WORTH BUYING-

DEVIL ELECTRIC-DEVIL ELECTRIC-

As the true rulers of steady and firm Stoner/Doom/Blues rock oriented Music are fading away from the Music scenes, there´s a fresh breath of newcomers that will kick your balls in the same category and have had the benefit to learn from the masters (read Black Sabbath, Candlemass) and bring this genre a step forward. Australia´s Devil Electric can be filed under the same band´s like Electric Citizen, Electric Wizard and Ruby the Hatchet but here we do have more doom and gloom in the package.

This debut release is just of the presses(2017) and brings a new perspective with led-Heavy riffs and enchanting vocals by Pierina O´Brien. The production is top notch with great interaction between guitar/bass and drums. The band drives the vocals forward and it sounds pretty good.. 🙂 The blue print songstyle invented by Black Sabbath is very present but then again every Heavy stoner blues outfit will get that comparison…

Whatabout the drummer, Mark Van de Bleek?? Well this is just like the five o´clock train, steady on the rails with great delivery and good striking abilities. As this is a debut album you almost could expect a bit of caution and “held back” in the drive and technical department. This is not a bad drummer but I feel  he´s got a harness and will certainly deliver more on the road. I just have to wait and see!! Exciting!! 🙂

This is a very good album in the genre that erase´s the clear border´s between true stoner acts like Asteroid, Kadavar and Uncle Acid. The album flavour things up with catchy songwriting and toetapping passages without going to Deep into that bottomless swamp of darkness and misery…

Hurry up and Catch a limited copy for a decent dollar and turn the volume knob far right and just enjoy some great familiar Music on high volume!! This is just Splendid….. 🙂

VINYLRATING/GRADE

-7-VERY GOOD!-GAME,SET AND MATCH-

BLUE MAX-LIMITED EDITION-

As teenager´s back in the middle of the 70´s, Robert Graves and Brothers George and Andrew Douglas put together Blue Max and they landed the achievment to put out an album Before they even finished high school. Originated from Amherst Nova Scotia the only option for this task was to travel to Halifax during  a christmas holiday and record this truly obscure Hard/psych/blues rock album with great pop influences. They self released it in 1976. The pressing was limited to only 1000 copies so the titled served them right. Heavy touring during summer brakes and weekends really tought these guys to be Brothers in arms… It all ended in 1978 when they decided to go their seperate ways.

The production is a Little hollowed but overall a clear and crisp sound with great bass sound and pounding drive on the drums. This is a great what´s to come in Canadian rock Music later on. I do feel the Anvil vibe with great strong songs but a bit of hesitation in the delivery department. Not bad but this could be driven much further. A solid ground!!

Whatabout the drummer, Andrew Douglas?? Well, a standing ovation for the balls to play your first gig at the age of 12!! But, the juvenile overall impression is that there is no direct style to refer to. Solid striking abilities is mixed with anxious passages and some hesitation. All is forgiven due to the low age of Mr. Douglas, the kid nearly had hit puberty when this album was released..To bad there was no follow up. 🙂

For all you lover´s of early 70´s hard/psych/blues rock with an almost AOR direction this is a true milestone and filled with youth and freshness. Good luck of finding an original copy but there are some reissue CD´s out there for about 10 euros so that is a solid tip. You won´t get disappointed for that price!!  🙂

VINYLRATING/GRADE

6-GOOD!-WORTH BUYING-

SOLID GROUND-MADE IN ROCK-

There are albums out there that truly, in the sense of obscurity, are lost forever and then suddenly rediscovered by enthusiasts. This is one of those rare moments. This Swedish outfit released their sole album in 1976 and vanished two years later. Coming from a Scandinavian prog-background guitarist Gösta Hjelmqvist and drummer Anders Berge got tired of that Music scene and wanted more cutting edge and heavier sound. Peter Eklund and Björn Uhr completed the setting and suddenly one of Sweden´s more Heavy rock acts where in business. Signing to SCAM records they persued an early single with making of this album in January ´76.

The production is a not up to the timetypical standard and the songs are in the Hard/Psych/Heavy/Blues rock department. As this album was cut in ONE day I´ve have to say that it is impressive to achieve this much attitude in one day…very impressive work!! As all songs are strong and this raises some concern why this album never really got the recognizion it deserved. Peculiar..as Always..

Whatabout the drummer, Anders Berge?? As this fellow certainly tries to deliver in the most convincing way, the lack of technical skills shines through. The striking abilities are fine and the drive together with Dynamics are just splendid. Perhaps juvenile inexperience are the keyword here?? The drums are charming but there´s nothing to bring back to the table on this album. Matching the outfit?? Of course!! 🙂

Finding a original copy would be like a lottery ticket high score so why not just settle for a cool reissue/picturedisc for a descent dollar. This album is so rare and if you do find someone who got hold of the original, treat that friend with respect and you will find out you´ve got a lot in common…Music wise that is.. 🙂

VINYLRATING/GRADE

6- VERY GOOD!-WORTH BUYING-