FANTASY "Paint A Picture" ( Excellent UK Prog - 1973 )

Before writing my own review of this album, I have to admit being a bit biased. I really love this style of early English progressive rock, that’s why I named my blog Fantasy. Fantasy's "Paint a Picture" is an example of prototypical progressive rock that appears to be as influenced by The Moody Blues as by King Crimson. In this way, Fantasy compares to Spring, Gracious and Cressida. The band's original guitarist had died accidentally before this was made and subsequently the lyrics reflect issues of loss, madness and an overall questioning of existence. The songs are mostly short (2 -5 minutes) and at their best feel like that wonderful combination of sunshine with a breeze. The sound is generally fairly mellow, but much like the album's beautiful cover it is painted with a diverse and colourful palette. In other words, while most of tempos are relaxed and there aren't that many time changes, there is a lot going on: acoustic guitars, electric guitars, organ, mellotron, bass, and drums all combine to form the main melody, and then, at times, separate to present variations. The exception to this is the seven minute long "Circus." This is generally considered the most progressive song in this set, and it is the most uptempo and varied. However, my favourite is the title track which has a very dream-like feel to it. Their second record "Beyond the Beyond" which was rejected by Polydor in the 70s was released on CD in 1992. This is truly a very great album that I would recommend heartily !!! 

Track Listings : 1. Paint A Picture (5:24) 2. Circus (6:18) 3. The Award (4:52) 4. Politely Insane (3:27) 5. Widow (2:12) 6. Icy River (5:53) 7. Thank Christ (4:06) 8. Young Man's Fortune (3:41) 9. Gnome Song (4:19) 10. Silent Mine (4:39) Bonus tracks (taken from Fantasy “Beyond The Beyond”) : 11. Beyond The Beyond (5:37) 12. Reality (2:58) 13. Alanderie (9:01) 14. Afterthought (5:51) 15. Worried Man (2:56) 16. Just A Dream (3:32) 17. Winter Rose (3:27) 

 Line-up/Musicians : - Paul Lawrence / 12 string guitar, vocals - David Read / bass, vocals - David Metcalfe / keyboards, vocals - Peter James / lead guitar, vocals - Jon Webster / percussion, vocals 

Link : http://www.mediafire.com/file/s0pd2uhbs70g7hk/FantaPaint.zip 

(Link first posted by https://williesaid.blogspot.com/2017/04/fantasy-paint-picture-1973.html an amazing blog !!!) 

Enjoy !!! It's one of my top hundred "desert island" albums.

PETER HAMMILL "Over" - 1977

Being the singer of one of the most influential British progressive rock bands ever, Peter Hammill’s "Over" is not what you should expect from the man who delivered most of the songs for VDGG.
“Over” is released during one of the last VDGG years. It sounds more as an album of a singer songwriter than as a progressive rock release. “Over” is one of the most intense listening experiences you can imagine.
Clearly the boundaries of musical styles don’t bother Hammill. The listener hears some influences from folk, rock and classical music as well. Hammill is a varied vocalist. His voice is sounding raw, unpolished and very emotional at the same time. Highly original are the vocal harmonies which show many different sides of the man’s voice.
There are members, as ever, of VDGG, in Guy Evans on drums, Nic Potter on bass, and the former String Driven Thing member Graham Smith on violin.
Some tracks are plain acoustic with only one or two instruments present other tracks do have full instrumentation. In either case the overall feeling is sobriety.

Track Listings :

1. Crying Wolf (5:12)
2. Autumn (4:13)
3. Time Heals (8:42)
4. Alice (Letting Go) (5:33)
5. (This Side Of) The Looking Glass (6:57)
6. Betrayed (4:44)
7. (On Tuesdays She Used to Do) Yoga (3:55)
8. Lost and Found (7:11)

Total Time: 46:27

Link : http://rapidshare.com/files/133763112/Peter_Hammill_-_Over_-_1977.zip
(Thanks to http://museorosenbach.blogspot.com/ )

Very rarely does an album have so an intense emotional effect on me !!!

EELA CRAIG "Same" ( Austrian Prog - 1971 )

EELA CRAIG was by far the best known Austrian prog rock band.
This self-entitled album from 1971 is very obscure and known by very few, as it was originally released on a small Austrian label called Pro-Disc. Luckily a small German label called Garden of Delights reissued this on CD.
While their later albums tended to be synth-heavy symphonic prog, this one tends to the bluesy/jazzy psych/prog realm, with the Wurlitzer electric piano dominated (and Hammond organ on only two cuts). The bluesy nature of this album has to do with original guitarist Heinz Gerstmair, and vocalist Will Orthofer, while drummer Horst Waber gave the band that jazzy touch, add that on with the flute, organ, and acoustic guitar of Harald Zuschrader, bass of Gerhard Englisch, and electric piano of Hubert Bognermayr, and you have the original EELA CRAIG lineup.
It's full of good stuff like the drug-oriented "Selfmade Trip" and "A New Way". "New Born Child" starts off in that psychedelic manner with terrifying screams in the most inappropriate time (when the song slows down, unlike PINK FLOYD's "Careful With That Axe, Eugene", which the song reaches its most intense climax). It's a pretty nice piece of underground prog/psych you come to expect from this era.

Track Listings :

1. New born Child (7:45)
2. Selfmade Trip (10:29)
3. A New Way (7:04)
4. Indra Elegy (11:43)
5. Irminsul (2:10)
6. Yggdrasil (3:40)
7. Stories (4:39)
8. Cheese (4:38)

Total Time: 52:08

Line-up/Musicians :
- Horst Waber / drums
- Harald Zuschrader / organ, flute, guitar, sax
- Hubert Bognermayr / keyboards
- Gerhard Englisch / bass
- Heinz Gerstmair / guitar, organ, vocals
- Will Orthofer / vocals, sax

Link : http://rapidshare.com/files/134658466/www.voo7177.viajando.para.austria.EELACRAIG.72.rar
( Thanks to http://voo7177.blogspot.com/ )

Highly recommended for all kraut-psych lovers !!!

PATERNOSTER "Untitled" ( Austrian Krautrock - 1972 )

PATERNOSTER was one of the few prog rock bands to emerge out of Austria, aside from EELA CRAIG and KYRIE ELEISON. They released their one and only album in 1972 on the CBS label. In 1991, a small German label called Ohrwaschl had reissued this on CD, but because the master tapes were lost, it was a direct from LP to CD recording. Don't let that scare you off, because the sound quality is great, and there only the occasional cracking.
PATERNOSTER was lead by organist/vocalist Franz Wippel. His singing is really peculiar, think of a depressed version of PROCOL HARUM's Gary Brooker with a Germanic accent and you get the picture how he sounds like. The rest of the band consisted of Gerhart Walenta on drums, Gerhard Walter on guitar and vocals, and Heimo Wisser on bass.
Musically they're an early '70s prog band with psychedelic leanings. Hammond organ is the only keyboard used, and the guitarist uses that late '60s psychedelic fuzz lead.

Franz Wippel was the group's sole composer and what a monster he created–seven tracks of organ-drenched prog with heavy psychedelic leanings. There's a definite krautrock feel in that it's both acidic and cosmic with a loads of atmosphere.

Track Listings :

1. Paternoster (3:56)
2. Realization (3:34)
3. Stop these lines (6:57)
4. Blind children (6:16)
5. Old Danube (4:16)
6. The Pope is wrong (6:02)
7. Mammoth Opus O (8:55)

Total Time: 39:56

Line-up/Musicians :
- Gerhart Walenta / drums
- Gerhard Walter / guitar, vocals
- Franz Wippel / organ, vocals
- Heimo Wisser / bass

Link : http://rapidshare.com/files/134653390/www.voo7177.apresenta.Paternoster.72.rar
(thanks to http://voo7177.blogspot.com/ )

Another great and dark record !!!

NORTHWIND "Same" aka "The Woods of Zandor" ( US Progressive - 1974 )

The original Northwind band was founded in 1968 by Roland Ernest and Jan Stepka. They were inspired originally by bands such as the Doors, Cream, the Moody Blues, the Beatles, and Procol Harum. Northwind was later heavily influenced by ELP, Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis.
The band went through four membership changes. The first incarnation had drummer Steve White. In 1970 they created and performed an original rock opera entitled “Looking Back.” In 1972 they recorded an untitled demo album featuring the song “Last Day at Lokun.” Tom Iacaboni replaced Steve White on drums when Steve left the band to pursue the guitar.

In 1974 Tom, Jan and Roland recorded the world famous (in collectors' circles) Northwind demo album in Roland's family's basement. This album is often erroneously referred to as “Woods of Zandor”.

Tom was at heart a jazz drummer, and when he left Tim Cahill joined on drums and percussion. For a short period, Bob Pascoe contributed his rock guitar to Northwind's sound. Northwind then performed mostly in clubs and created a reputation in Canada. This period largely had the band playing covers of other rock bands' material. In 1977 returning to original music, Roland took over guitars and the band added the talents of Rob Foster on wind instruments. In 1978 the band recorded their magnum opus “Distant Shores” in Roland's family's basement in Sterling Heights, Michigan. One song, “Just Yesterday,” was released as part of a local radio station's compilation of Detroit area bands' music entitled “Home Grown”. Tim Cahill's religious calling conflicted with his perception of the rock and roll lifestyle leading him to leave secular musical performing. Howard Wells joined the band on drums and percussion for rehearsals while Roland and the band's manager Ron Geddish vainly persued a record contract. Northwind broke up in 1978 largely because of this failure.

This album features long tracks with swirling keys, lenghty choppy guitar solos, floating harmonies, good guitar textures throughout with a good mix of heavy electric leads and delicate acoustic stretches.

Track listing :
1. Live - 3:38
2. Nightmares - 3:43
3. Zandor - 6:54
4. Some Other Way - 3:25
5. Aftermath - 8:50
Total time : 26:30

Line-up :
Roland Ernest - Guitar, Vocals
Jan Stepka - Keyboards, Vocals
Ton Iacaboni - Drums, Percussion, Vocals

Link : http://rapidshare.com/files/121229423/ventdunord.rar.html

Extremely rare, don't miss it (even if the quality is not always as I expected) !!!

Another gem needed to be unearthed !!!

JOSEPH PUSEY "In My Lady's Chamber" ( US Psych-Folk 1977 )

High level psych-folk from 1977, Californian private release but with a sound that has more to do with UK stuff, with some Eastern-influenced parts as well.

Pusey, ex-Yellow Autumn, is certainly a very impressive guitar player -- his playing on this album is simply incredible and especially the instrumental parts will knock you out.
There's only acoustic guitars, bells, gong, flute and slight percussions, but you won't need anything else.

A brilliant record this is, sure to impress any psychedelic folk fan !!!

Link : http://sharebee.com/0c5bb86a (first posted on mysteryposter.blogspot.com)

PETE BROWN & PIBLOKTO ! "Things may Come, ..." ( UK - 1970 )

The complete title is "Things May Come and Things May Go, But the Art School Dance Goes on for Ever".

A radical change from the looseness of The Battered Ornaments. Piblokto plays it super-tight and focused all the way. The album sets off with the extreme up-tempo title track, driven along by Jim Mullen's power chords in a manner that should not be heard again until punk came along a decade after this. Pete Brown himself is in great voice. He was never a great singer, in fact he has never been a singer at all, but he has a very personal voice, and a way of making lines stick with the listener that is purely his own.

There is not a duff track on the whole album.

Track Listing :

01. Things May Come and Things May Go, But the Art School Dance Goes on for Ever

02. High Flying Electric Bird

03. Someone Like You

04. Walk for Charity, Run for Money

05. Then I Must Go and Can I Keep

06. My Love Is Gone Far Away

07. Golden Country Kingdom

08. Firesong

09. Country Morning

10. Flying Hero Sandwich [Single A-Side]

11. My Last Band (Single B-Side)

Link : http://sharebee.com/0600c043 (Taken from http://chrisgoesrocks.blogspot.com/ )

Enjoy it !!!

BOB SMITH "The Visit From Bob Smith" ( US Superb Psychedelic - 1970 )

This is a classic psych album in every sense: trippy effects, phased/wah'd guitars, searing leads, wasted vocals/subject matter and the obligatory 'experiment' pieces, tho' these are not as prominent as you'd figure knowing that this is a double lp.
Despite the title, this is not a solo album by any means, as Bob Smith had a large backup band that featured members of the Mothers of Invention.

Track listing :
01 - Please - 3.14
02 - Don´t Tell Lady Tonight - 3.09
03 - Constructive Critique - 4.43
04 - Ocean Song - 4.50
05 - The Wishing Song - 5.04
06 - Can You Jump Rope - 5.47
07 - Latter Days Matter - 3.31
08 - India Slumber - 7.47
09 - Source You Blues - 6.02
10 - Sunlight Sweet - 3.10
11 - Of She, Of Things - 3.17
12 - Mobeda Dandelions - 3.18
13 - The Path Does Have Forks - 5.25
14 - Try, Try To Understand Yourself - 3.22

Links :
Part 1: http://sharebee.com/99778453 & Part 2: http://sharebee.com/8a798c21
(Taken from http://chrisgoesrocks.blogspot.com/ )

Another incredibly unknown gem !!!

COLD SUN "Dark Shadows" ( US Psychedelic Rock 1970)

Great and fantastic psychedelic LP, recorded in 1969 but released just in 1989 that Rockadelic unearthened it !

Fantastic dark psych explorations sometimes reminding 13th Floor Elevators, sometimes the darkest Doors sounds, HP Lovecraft, etc...

Very unique and much recommended !!!

As with many things in their history, the name “Cold Sun” is enigmatic. The 1989 retrospective album on the Rockadelic label that first brought the Sonobeat recordings to light didn’t even appear under that name, but as “Dark Shadows” which is the title of a popular 1960s mystery TV series. In the liner notes Miller denied ever having been in a band called Cold Sun, and suggested that they had always been called Dark Shadows. However he had referred to the band’s real name in a 1976 interview, where he mentioned that before playing with Roky Erickson in the Aliens he “spent seven years developing the electric auto-harp with a band called Cold Sun”. The name itself is derived from the legends of MU, made famous by the writings of Col James Churchward and more recently by the great 1970s rock band of the same name, led by Merrel Fankhauser. MU and the Lemurian mythology was popular in Cold Sun circles, although Miller says that he tried to come up with an even better band name later on.

Track Listing :

01. South Texas - 5.19

02. Twisted Flower - 3.02

03. Here in The Year - 8.53

04. For Ever - 4.26

05. See What You Cause - 3.41

06. Fall - 7.12

07. Ra-Ma - 11.18

08. Live Again [Live Bonus 1972] - 10.18

09. Mind Aura [Live Bonus 1972] - 7.26

Links : http://sharebee.com/83b4b273 (Part 1) + http://sharebee.com/3c104e9b (Part 2)

(taken from http://chrisgoesrocks.blogspot.com/ )

Not to be missed, a true buried treasure !!!

Eric ANDERSEN "Blue River" (His masterpiece from 1972)

Nice, mellow album from Eric Andersen. While he previously sounded a lot like Dylan (or even Donovan), here he sounds like a better version of James Taylor. Recorded in Nashville, the album features superb musicians, such as Kenny Buttrey, David Bromberg, David Briggs, and even Joni Mitchell (contributing some beautiful backing vocals). Some of the songs are very strong, especially the center-piece "Blue River", as well as "Sheila" and the opener "Is It Really Love at All".

A true buried treasure !!!

Here is a link : http://rapidshare.com/files/144401501/Blue_River.rar

Great thanks to http://evermoreblues.blogspot.com/ who posted it first !