The Search Party "Montgomery Chapel" (US Xian Psyche Folk - 1969)

A rare religious rock album by a from Wisconsin band who relocated to Sacramento, California. Many of the tracks feature lovely female vocals, although part of Side Two is more acoustic and folky with male vocals.
At its best the album is superb. A mystical atmosphere is created by the floating, melodic psychedelia of songs like When He Calls, So Many Things Have Got Me Down and The News Is You. Just listen and drift away.
("Fuzz, Acid & Flowers" by Vernon Joynson)

Tracks:

01. Speak To Me
02. Renee Child
03. Melanya
04. When He Calls
05. So Many Things
06. You And I
07. All But This
08. Poem By George
09. The Decidedly

Link : http://sharebee.com/57e2eb84
(Great thanks to redtelephone66.blogspot.com for this one)

DAWNWIND "Looking Back on the Future" (UK Psyche Folk - 1976)

Dawnwind were formed in 1968 by Jon Harflett and John Perkins. Originally the pair performed as Harflett and Perkins, playing mainly in the Midlands as a semi-professional act. The duo went full time in 1970 and changed name to Dawnwind.
In the early seventies they built a fairly solid reputation as a live act on Club/University/College scene. They also got to tour in the USA, Germany and Holland.
The bands recording history is quite complicated. An album was recorded for the Eden Lable in 1970, "Natural Born Ramblers" and although some copies were pressed Eden went bust before the album could be released. EMI then began to show some interest but although John Perkins sat in playing guitar on Sam Parry's album and Jon Harflett wrote liner notes for a couple of albums, their management Nucleus never managed to get a deal.
In 1974, Norman Davies of Amron approached Dawnwind about making an album, and it was recorded in 1975 at the Mid Wales Sound Studio, with Norman producing and Alan Green as engineer.
Dawnwind were always a duo but many guests appeared at gigs, people could be forgiven for thinking of them as a band. For the Looking Back On The Future album, they used Dana Simmons (American) and Alistair Leacock on back-up guitars and Will Thomas on fiddle and mandolin. Dana sang high harmony on Street-Singer. Jon Harflett was lead vocalist on all tracks except Man Of Stars, Concrete Circles and I'm Sentimental Too. In addition to the tracks used on the album they also recorded a version of Steve Goodman's City Of New Orleans. Both Harflett and Perkins were responsible for the musical arrangements.
Jon Harflett:- "The first pressing was 500 copies for sale in clubs but then everything got very complicated. Norman Davies either sold or just gave up on Amron. Copies of the album then started to turn up in shops (and were still turning up circa 1978). It was fairly widely available in Germany, where it was also bootlegged. It was bootlegged too in the USA in the mid-nineties. Nobody really knows how many copies were printed or sold in total but it's a lot more than most people think despite it being rare now."
Dawnwind split up as a working duo in 1976 but have remained friends to this day. Jon Harflett continued a solo career in and around London until the eighties and then became a University Teacher until ill health forced him into retirement. He has written an autobiography, 'Dancing With The Moon'. John Perkins later founded his own lable (Check out White Eagle Records on the Net). They have been known to turn up in Folk clubs just for old time's sake but have no interest in bringing Dawnwind back. Both are frankly amazed that the album should have become a collector's item.
Jon:- "We have been approached several times about a CD issue but there is a tangled web of copyrights involved and it's never seemed worth it. There are about fourteen sites on the Net with information about Dawnwind - most of it wrong. The only thing that really annoys the two John's is when we're described as a Welsh Band."

(from "The Tapestry of Delights" by Vernon Joynson)

A British counterpart to Spain's Book of Am, America's Trees, and Scotland's Caedmon !!!

Track Listing :

01. Don't Look Now, Karen's Gone to the Moon
02. Concrete Circles
03. Man of Stars
04. Derelict
05. Sam Stone
06. Canticle
07. Who's Passing Dreams Around
08. Street Singer
09. Loving of the Game
10. I'm Sentimental Too
11. Dogs of War
12. Widow With a Husband

Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/odnd7ylegenc4d3/Dawnwind+76.zip

A beautifully melodic and intimate album. Though critically praised, it was only issued as a private pressing and was thus condemned to obscurity until its legend began to grow through collectors and bootleggers !!!

ZERFAS - "Same" - US Psychedelic - 1973

The structure of the album is impeccable. From the opening moment, it’s obvious you’re in for something truly special. “You Never Win” fades in with a backwards loop, over which a lovely melody appears. It goes on for a while, but could continue for hours more without becoming tiresome. It’s as great and true a musical moment as there has ever been. Rudely, the drums disrupt the calm to begin the body of the song, an updated 60s garage punker with powerful organ. As the song nears the end, the opening melody recurs, only this time it’s played forwards. It’s at this moment that you realize that this album is a true work of art, not just a bunch of great moments but a perfectly conceived synthesis of ideas. If only to prove the point, within a few seconds of the next song, “The Sweetest Part,” we are treated to the most beautiful fuzz guitar riff in history. As the album moves along, all of the eight songs have moments that, while unlikely to match the perfection of the backwards bit or the searing fuzz riff, should send shivers down the most jaded spine.
The songs are enlivened by psychedelic experiments that range from the slowed-down laughter of a tickled child to someone belching the words “mushroom soup.” Not just each song, but each verse is arranged with intricate care, and surprises like the stunning percussion that ends the quiet “I Need It Higher” keep the listener guessing. The two songs that begin side two show a bit of the spirit of 1973. The bouncy “Stoney Wellitz (and its almost trendy moog solo), and “Hope”, with its ocean sound effects and long, layered keyboard solo, are longer and more likely to appeal to, say, prog fans, than the pop-oriented songs on side one. That’s not to say the seem out of place or don’t work, because they do, in spades. And in no time at all, we’re back to massive walls of 60s-inspired psychedelia. The introduction to “Fool’s Parade” is interrupted by a stunning backwards vocal (don’t listen to people who claim it says something; it’s gibberish in both directions.) The body of the song ends after only two minutes, only to be followed by two further minutes of sped-up guitar, slowed-down guitar, space sounds and the aforementioned “mushroom soup” reference.
This is all set-up, though, for the album’s finest moment, the closing “The Piper.” A more ideal pop song is unlikely to exist. From the opening piano trills to gorgeous verses to gorgeous bridge to gorgeous chorus to stunning keyboard solo to the most perfect of the album’s many perfect guitar solos, in just four minutes they’ve done the impossible. They top what came before. The album ends on the final moment of genius; the piano trill returns and then is abruptly cut off, leaving the listener with his or her mouth hanging wide open. Not only has the song itself been framed by the piano, so has the album as a whole; the first and last song share the framing device, and the abrupt end is as compelling as the backwards fade-in.No, this album isn’t completely perfect. I’m not entirely convinced that the speak-singing on “You Never Win” really works, and perhaps the plethora of clever arrangement ideas push both “Stoney Wellitz” and “You Don’t Understand” a verse too long. Oh, and this will never be my own personal favorite album because the lyrics don’t hit home with me in the way something has to in order to be a #1 desert island pick. But musically, there’s no album on this universe I enjoy more than ZERFAS, and no album from which I can discover more new joys after hundreds of listens. The first reissue of this album contains several pages of notes about the band, and presumably gives some idea why they never released any more music. I’ve never found this issue of the record; I’m not sure I even want to know the answer to the many questions I have about these guys. And, oddly, the fact that it was never followed is almost a plus, a way of making sure that this album’s greatness will never be tarnished by the company it keeps. Obviously my view on this album is full of bias; only a few people will love it quite as much as I do. But most will love it almost as much. (Review posted by Arcadium on LostInTyme)

Tracklisting :

01. You Never Win
02. The Sweetest Part
03. I Don't Understand
04. I Need It Higher
05. Stoney Wellitz
06. Hope
07. Fool's Paradise

Link : http://rapidshare.com/files/52256055/zerfas73.rar
(thanks to orexisofdeath.blogspot.com)

Masterful '73 private pressing !!! Another one not to be missed !!!

DRAGONWYCK "Chapter 2" - US Psych Prog - 1972

This group from Cleveland were one of the most promising bands from the early 70´s in that area. After their first legendary 1970 heavy-psych album the keyboardist changed, and the band left their garagey Doors influences to create their own sound.
The music on these well produced stereo-recordings exists only on acetate (10 copies), and drifted more into the British vein of progressive rock, like King Crimson, Pink Floyd or Yes, but also reflects US-West Coast feeling like It´s a Beautiful Day.
By 1972 Dragonwyck was performing Moody Blues´complete 'Days of Future Passed' live on stage (!!!) The 10 original cuts included here, however, are intense and very unique with strong melodies/vocals, heavy guitar solos and an extreme variety of keyboard and vocal sounds an awesome mix of heavy underground rock with classical chamber-music style/elements.
There are 2 bonus tracks from a 45´record which was released in 1974.

Track listing :

01 - Kimberly - 0.32
02 - He Loves You - 3.18
03 - Fire Climbs - 6.41
04 - Relics - 5.11
05 - Freedom Son - 3.57
06 - Lady - 3.47
07 - Run To The Devil - 3.45
08 - Dead Man - 4.15
09 - The Music - 3.14
10 - Forever Only Last A Little While - 4.40
11 - Lovin' The Boys (Single -74) - 3.14
12 - The Music (Single -74) - 3.07

Link (thanks to Chrisgoesrock.blogspot.com) : http://sharebee.com/d3df0d03

Another buried gem !!!

LOVE "Forever Changes" - US Psychedelic Masterpiece - 1967

I 'm sure most of you already know this masterpiece. But as it's one of my favs for times, I can't let it out of my blog.

One of rock's most overlooked masterpieces, this third album by the L.A. folk-rock outfit led by inscrutable singer-songwriter Arthur Lee sounds as fresh and innovative today as it did upon its original release in 1967. With David Angel's atmospheric string and horn arrangements giving the work a conceptual underpinning, Lee explores mainstream America's penchant for paranoia ("The Red Telephone") and violence ("A House Is Not a Motel") with songs that are as sonically subtle and lilting as they are lyrically blunt and harrowing. Add two gems by Love's secret weapon, second guitarist Bryan MacLean ("Alone Again Or" and "Old Man"), and you've got one of the truly perfect albums in rock history.

Band members:
Arthur Lee : lead vocals, guitar, arranger
Johnny Echols : lead guitar
Bryan MacLean : rhythm guitar, vocals, arranger (lead vocals on "Alone Again Or" and "Old Man")
Ken Forssi : bass
Michael Stuart : drums, percussion, vocals

With:
David Angel (arranger) : arranger, orchestrations

And uncredited contributions from:
Hal Blaine : drums on "Andmoreagain" and "The Daily Planet"
Carol Kaye : bass on "Andmoreagain" (unconfirmed) and "The Daily Planet"
Don Randi : piano
Billy Strange : guitar on "Andmoreagain" and "The Daily Planet"
Neil Young : arranger on "The Daily Planet"
Orchestra: Robert Barene, Arnold Belnick, James Getzoff, Marshall Sosson, Darrel Terwilliger (violins); Norman Botnick (viola); Jesse Ehrlich (cello); Chuck Berghofer (double bass); Bud Brisbois, Roy Caton, Ollie Mitchell (trumpets); Richard Leith (trombone)

Tracklist :

"Alone Again Or" (Maclean, – 3:16)
"A House is Not a Motel" (Lee, – 3:31)
"Andmoreagain" (Lee/Maclean, – 3:18)
"The Daily Planet" (Lee, – 3:30)
"Old Man" (Maclean, – 3:02)
"The Red Telephone" (Lee, – 4:46)
"Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale" (Lee, – 3:34)
"Live and Let Live" (Lee, – 5:26)
"The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This" (Lee, – 3:08)
"Bummer in the Summer" (Lee, – 2:24)
"You Set the Scene" (Lee, – 6:56)

February 2001 reissue Bonus Tracks :

"Hummingbirds [Demo]" (Lee, – 2:43)
"Wonder People (I Do Wonder)" (Lee, – 3:27)
"Alone Again Or [Alternate Mix]" (MacLean, – 2:55)
"You Set the Scene [Alternate Mix]" (Lee, – 7:01)
"Your Mind And We Belong Together [Tracking Session Highlights]" (Lee, – 8:16)
"Your Mind And We Belong Together" (Lee, – 4:28)
"Laughing Stock" (Lee, – 2:33)

Links : http://sharebee.com/58e76e76 (Part 1) & http://sharebee.com/6a1eb218 (Part 2)

To the uninitiated, it helps to know that Love was Jim Morrison's favorite group !!!

SALEM "Same" - Excellent Canadian Progressive - 1995

A pretty unknown band directly influenced by Jethro Tull.
Salem builds its music on twelve string acoustic guitar rhythm and arpeggios and flute melodies with medieval or celtic accents, which reminds me very much of Jethro Tull. The singer does not imitate Ian Anderson, but finds the right voice for the music, and the interventions of violins and keyboards are very appropriate to the context.

For more infos you can visit their website : http://lightyear10.tripod.com/salem/

Tracks & Durations :

1. The Philosophers In The Forest 4:12
2. The Eagle (Melopee) 5:37
3. Magical Tool 4:16
4. Fields Of Grass 3:41
5. Charles The IIIrd 3:44
6. Karmic Adventures 2:24
7. Monastery 3:45
8. Scenes Of Sorrow 2:31
9. Pilgrim's Park 3:17

Don't miss this rarity, they deserve a wider audience !!!

New link : http://www.mediafire.com/?krnn7gfzdadqrfm 

Folk och Rackare "Rackarspel" (Swedish/Norwegian Folk 1978)

Swedish/Norwegian folk group starting with vocalist Carin Kjellman and guitarist Ulf Gruvberg, who had released one album "Med Rotter i Medeltiden" ('With Roots In The Middle Ages') on Swedish Sonet '74.

"Folk Och Rackare" ('Folk And Rogues') on the Swedish YTF label '76 found them augmented by fiddlers Kalle Almlof and Jonny Soling, who left that year, but the duo established a long-lasting lineup Dec. '76 with Norwegians Jorn Jensen and Trond Villa both from the Norwegian folk-rock group Folque.

The debut album was "Rackarspel" (1978), but "Anno 1979" on Sonet was far more accomplished, with clearer musical direction. "Stjarnhasten" (1981) continued an innovative fusing of Nordic folk musics, and "Rackbag" on the Swedish Amalthea label '85 found them expanded to a sextet with Affe Byberg and Olle Westbergh, plus guest Richard Thompson. Kjellman's eponymous solo album on Amalthea that same year was a departure, veering away from folk towards rock, including translations into Swedish of songs by Thompson ('How I Wanted To' and 'It's Just The Motion') and Sandy Denny ('Winterwards' and 'Solo'). Kjellman also sang on Thomas Lindahl's Det Krokta Rummet on Amalthea in '87.

Folk Och Rackare never achieved the success outside Scandinavia that their accomplished act deserved; that breakthrough was left to Filarfolket, who became stalwarts on the international folk festival scene in the late '80s-early '90s. Ulf Gruvberg became increasingly important in Swedish radio, responsible for live music broadcasting, and also produced Hedningarna, an influential Swedish group of the early '90s including Swedish and Finnish musicians.

Link : http://rapidshare.com/files/2544821/FR.zip
(Thanks to http://time-has-told-me.blogspot.com/ )

Another very great one posted especially for Dominic from Aumgaia and all Scandinavian folk lovers !!!

CROOKED OAK "From Little Acorns Grow" (Excellent UK Folk - 1976)

Original UK LP on the Folkland label with catalogue number FL 0102.

This is a private pressing from 1976.

This is now a very rare and highly rated UK folk LP with acid and progressive inclinations.

Superb in every way.

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VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for folk lovers.

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Personnel :

Steve Evans : Guitar, Mandolina and vocals

Paul Rogley : Whistle, Mandolina and Cittern

Barry Walker : Fiddle

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Amazing album, with great whistle and fiddle solos, vocal harmonies and eleven lovely songs.

Track list :

01. Hold The Lantern High

02. Jimmy Clay

03. Lord Inchyquinn. Fairmoyne Lasses, Sporting Paddy

04. The Morning Lies Heavy On Me

05. Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore

06. The Morning Dew And The Oak Tree

07. Cold Hard Town

08. The Village Fool

09. Kilfonora Jig

10. Green Mountain Home

11. Air; Song Of The Lonesome Boatman

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New link : http://www.mediafire.com/?n3b8iglax9opcrx 

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I'm posting it here because it's one of my favs since months and this unknown gem would deserve a wider audience !!!

Especially posted for Dominic ( Aumgaia's guitar player ) ; enjoy it !!!

ELECTRIC SANDWICH "Same" ( German Heavy Progressive - 1973 )

Electric Sandwich were formed in late 1969 by a group of German students from Bonn. The band initially consisted of four musicians, all of whom had already played with other bands: bass player Klaus Lormann had been playing with "Chaotic Trust"; lead guitarist Jorg Ohlert used to be with "Slaves of Fire"; drummer Wolf Fabian, the founder of the band, had been touring with a band called "Muli and the Misfits", and singer Jochen "Archie" Carthaus sang with the "Flashbacks".

Their own material has been recorded into the legendary Dieter Dirks Studio in Stommeln (1973 Brain catalogue). The music contains typical spaced out, freak n roll improvisations with many jazzy rock ingredients, folkish accents and Mellotron excursions.

What's so fascinating about "Electric Sandwich" is the fact that each of the seven songs is different from the rest even though the band developed a homogeneous sound concept. Asked about the diversity of styles his band toyed around with, songwriter Ohlert replied: "Electric Sandwich are not limited to one single style of music. We change styles, even in the middle of a song, because we want our music to be alive." To achieve this goal the band not only rehearsed every week but also reserved one evening of the week to discuss their respective creative visions. The lyrics deal with stories that complete a full circle from birth to death. In "Nervous Creek", for example, Electric Sandwich tell the story of a river eventually flowing into the sea. "Material Darkness" deals with the life of a city dweller. In the release information, Wolf Fabian comments: "We deliberately like to create an intellectual attitude. We try to design our lyrics in a way that allows a listener with poor knowledge of English to understand them."

Tracklist :

1. China (8:07)
2. Devil's Dream (6:20)
3. Nervous Creek (5:07)
4. It's No Use to Run (4:03)
5. I Want You (5:27)
6. Archie's Blues (4:55)
7. Material Darkness (5:04)
8. On My Mind (3:24) "Bonus track"
9. China (single edit) (3:05) "Bonus track"

Links :
http://sharebee.com/4ff51d11 (thanks to http://chrisgoesrocks.blogspot.com/ )
or
http://rapidshare.de/files/40073363/Electric_Sandwich_-_Electric_Sandwich__German_Heavy_Progressive_1973____256_.rar.html (thanks to http://elcamaleongalegobrasileiro.blogspot.com/ )

Another milestone in the German Heavy Prog story, don't miss it !!!

FRED "Same" ( US progressive - 1971 )

Wonderous previously unreleased US bands recordings from 1970-1974. Coming across like a mixture of trippy folk and electric psychedelic rock, this CD is a revelation! Crystal clear sound quality and long trippy songs with electric violin, electric and acoustic guitars, harpsichord and mystical trippy lyrics.

“Fred” was for sure one of the most talented 70´s groups without an album. In 1971, as the war in Vietnam continued, some college students in rural, central Pennsylvania formed a band and left school behind. That year, they published a 45 rpm single (A Love Song - Salvation Lady) and recorded most of the music on this album, which contains cryptic lyrics and heavenly vocals floating over fuzzed-out guitar, crafty keys, drums and bass like a freight train, and a serene electric violin freshly liberated from the bonds of classical training. Influenced by the likes of Procol Harum, The Band, Traffic, Jethro Tull, It´s A Beautiful Day, Frank Zappa, and King Crimson, they bring a unique sensibility and style to their 10 original pieces, uncannily as fresh today as they were when they were first recorded.

Track List :
01 - Four Evenings
02 - Soft Fisherman
03 - Salvation Lady
04 - By The Way
05 - I'll Go On
06 - For Fearless Few
07 - A Love Song
08 - Booking Agent Blues
09 - Windwords
10 - A Love Song (45rpm Version)

Line-up :
JOE DeCHRISTOPHER - Guitar
BO FOX - Drums
KEN PRICE - Keyboards
MIKE ROBINSON - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
DAVID ROSE - Keyboards, Violin, Guitar, Vocals
GARY ROSENBERG - Lyrics, Percussion
PETER EGGERS - Drums, Piano

Links :
http://rapidshare.com/files/119475139/F71.part1.rar (Part 1)
and
http://rapidshare.com/files/119475254/F71.part2.rar (Part 2)
(Taken from this great blog http://orexisofdeath.blogspot.com/ )

Very highly recommended !!! I really love these recordings !