Album Reviews

Mandrill “Solid” (1975)

There aren’t a whole lot of bands like Mandrill! Even in the days of War and Santana when a psychedelic stew was bubbling and latin styles were merging, this band was a standout due to the heavy rootedness of their music. Throughout this album the band serve up a set of tunes that blend rather foreboding, dark funk with surreal strings, harmonies and wah-wahs such as on the compelling “Wind On Horseback,” “Yucca Jump” and the title song. They rock hard in a funky place on “Tee Vee”, a song whose message and almost proto hip-hop groove predates the Disposable Heroes Of Hisprocrisy’s “Television” by about fifteen years. There are also some hardcore grooves such as “Peck Ya Neck” and “Stop & Go.” The final song “Slick” is pretty much an instrumental that takes on some very dynamic influences: from the cinematic soul popular with Isaac Hayes to a sort of afro cuban jazz sound. Mandrill and Solid are potent reminder of the cross cultural pollination, from jazz to soul to pop, that the golden age of funk represented.  –Andre

Kaleidoscope “Side Trips” (1967)

Wildly eclectic mixture of Psychedelia, Mid Eastern music, Appalachian Folk, jug band, hokey jump blues and undefinable weirdness that could only have come from the 60’s California music scene. The original 10 song album is only 26 minutes long, yet it goes through such a wide variety of styles that it really does feel like a full listening experience. Best tracks are the Mid Eastern opening track “Egyptian Gardens”, the very psychedelic antiwar song “Keep Your Mind Open” and that cheery little Appalachian folk ditty “Oh Death” (lately best known from the more traditional, dirge-like rendition on the hit soundtrack to Oh Brother Where Art Thou). There’s also an oddly faithful cover of “Minnie The Moocher”. —Flaregun

Glass Palaces:
Navigating the Paisley Underground

Even by the fleeting standards of today’s internet-fueled micro-movements and trends, the Paisley Underground was a particularly short-lived musical moment. Springing forth from the Southern California suburbs in the early-’80’s, the movement eventually coalesced around Los Angeles. While most of the bands quickly splintered, or lost their spark under the influence of commercial pressure, their influence can be felt more acutely three decades down the line, coming home to roost in the contemporary indie underground’s renewed infatuation with all things psychedelic and of the ’80’s. While “psychedelic” bands with a Velvet Underground fetish or a Byrds fixation are as commonplace as yoga mats and kombucha in a Whole Foods re-usable tote today, they stuck out like a sore thumb in the new-world synth and drum machine landscape of the early ’80’s, when the initial stirrings of the bands that would come to be synonymous with the sound began. The following are some of the standout efforts from a scene that disappeared almost as quickly as it arose.

The Dream Syndicate The Days of Wine and Roses (1982). Without a doubt the most commercially viable of the Paisley Underground fleet, the Dream Syndicate were the Trojan horse that snuck everyone else into the party. Not that most of their brethren would have anything approaching mainstream success, but many would land major label contracts and a degree of recognition, at least for a time. The Days of Wine and Roses has endured for good reason – it was, pound for pound, one of the more bulletproof releases from the Paisley scene, or any of the era in general. Of course it helped that they were doing something pretty far out-of-line with the times – reviving primitive guitar meltdowns and folk melodies in the age of New Romanticism and Eye Of The Tiger.

Rain Parade Emergency Third Rail Power Trip/Explosions In The Glass Palace (1983/1984). Although many of the Paisley Underground’s main players would manage to sustain careers in some form or other, The Rain Parade’s Steven Roback was perhaps the only figure who would go on to eclipse the success and popularity of his PU-era acts. Growing up in the age of Mazzy Star, it would be years before I realized Roback had been quietly refining his hazy whisper-core for a decade before the commercial breakthrough of “Fade Into You.” Hope Sandoval would first appear in later incarnations of Opal, but it was with Rain Parade that Roback began crafting his strain of hushed psychedelic pop that would become so influential years down the line. It’s no secret that a lot of pop music from this era did not age well, but Rain Parade’s modern take on the dark side of psychedelia manages to hold up well, even among their Paisley peers.

True West Drifters (1984). One of the more overlooked bands in the PU orbit, True West approximated what The Church might have sounded like with a touch of the great plains (via the Central Valley) stirred in to taste. Though the early lineup (featuring songwriter Russ Tolman) didn’t last long, they would manage to squeeze out a couple of great EPs and this superlative full-length debut. While Tolman and many of his peers from the Paisley scene would go further down the wagon trail of Americana and Alt-Country/No-Depression, Drifters remains the perfect balance of crisp, sparkling songwriting, with a kiss of twang felt in the flourishes of the occasional plangent guitar lead and brooding lyricism. Fans of early Robyn Hitchcock or The Go-Betweens darker material should investigate post-haste.

Game Theory Real Nighttime (1985). Scott Miller’s Game Theory were outliers in a scene already on the fringes. They came up in the same circuit, and shared bills and basic aesthetic choices with many of the Paisley school, but were closer to a traditional power pop band in execution. I know – the words “power pop” are a kiss of death for some of you out there, but don’t let that scare you off. Miller and his rotating cast of players churned out some of the most infectious albums of the era – songs stacked with hooks, each catchier than the one that preceded it. No one talks about it, but there’s no way Real Nighttime and The Big Shot Chronicles were not formative influences on The New Pornographers and their ilk.

Opal Early Recordings (1989). Although some of it came out under the Clay Allison moniker, most of this material didn’t see wide release until well after the departure of Kendra Smith, who, starting with The Dream Syndicate, appeared to be making a tradition out of quitting bands just when they were peaking. Though a lot of people swear by Happy Nightmare Baby (recorded later with Hope Sandoval), this material is perhaps the perfect literal embodiment of the enigmatic darkness that a term like “Paisley Underground” implies. The template for Mazzy Star is even more in evidence here, with Roback and Smith’s dark torch songs stretching out into extended, loose-limbed psych/folk jams without warning. If The Days Of Wine And Roses was a modern interpretation of White Light/White Heat’s pathos, Opal’s early movements were the equivalent of the third VU album – candlelit meditations of uninhibited beauty and longing.

Further listening: Hex was a collaborative project featuring Donette Thayer (ex-Game Theory) and Steve Kilbey of The Church. Their self-titled effort from 1989 is one of the more unique and beguiling albums of the era, taking the swirling psychedelics of the Paisley bands, slowing it down, and applying an ashen layer of goth to the mix. The heavier 4AD vibe makes it predictive of both the early-’90’s Trip Hop trend, and today’s indie underground new-goth-wave/industrial revival. Like many of their compatriots, Green On Red came out of the gate steaming with a couple of formative EPs, then quickly retreated into the safe harbor of alt-country. Nevertheless, a significant band for their magnetic force in pulling the early scene together into something resembling a movement. The Three O’Clock also deserve a mention here, being responsible for the coining of the term “Paisley Underground.” They too would lose the plot fairly quickly but their Baroque Hoedown EP is worth seeking out for it’s jangly, Buzzcocks-ian immediacy. Happy hunting! — Jonathan Treneff

David Bowie “Lodger” (1979)

An orphan in the Bowie canon, crowded together with Low and “Heroes” as part of the Berlin trilogy when in fact it’s best understood as the transition from those albums to Scary Monsters, Lodger is perhaps the most underrated record from Bowie’s classic period. In fact, I would argue it’s the most satisfying of the Berlin trio.

There’s something odd and slightly uncomfortable about Lodger – it’s hurt by a surprisingly muddy mix, and its flow feels disjointed, even after repeated listens – but that’s part of its appeal. I hesitate to use the term “avant-pop,” because that’s a phrase that gets thrown around a lot, but I think it’s fitting in this case. A working title was “Planned Accidents,” and that aesthetic is consistently present on all ten tracks. The songs here are mostly melodic and catchy, but they’re ripped apart by tape-warped guitar solos (courtesy of the always excellent Adrian Belew,) weird flourishes of faux-exotica, and odd song structures.

All in all, there’s not a bad song in the bunch. From the thrilling rush of “Look Back In Anger,” which features wonderfully melodramatic vocals from Bowie, to the catchy ersatz Turkish reggae of “Yassassin,” to the gently swaying, socially conscious opener “Fantastic Voyage,” Bowie is in top form. Even the deliberately jarring, dissonant “African Night Flight,” which bears Eno’s fingerprints all over it, is fascinating. And I haven’t mentioned “DJ” or “Red Sails,” two of the very best songs on here! on’t overlook this gem. —Mason

Flower Travellin’ Band “Satori” (1971)

Mindblowing Japanese rock classic, heavier than a thousand planets: meaty, doomy power chords on top of driving basslines and tribal drums with a sinewy, molten, eastern-tinged lead guitar soaring above it all like hookah smoke — the bastard love child of Black Sabbath and Godzilla emerging from the sea not to destroy Tokyo but just to ROCK!!!! Intense and partially unintelligible English vocals plus a smoking harmonica solo on Satori IV round out the incredible sound. Each track is a masterpiece. One of the finest albums to come out in the early 70s, which of course makes it one of the finest albums ever and possibly the best album you’ve never heard. This is one heavy album that might go into heavy rotation for the rest of your life, or at the very least for the rest of the year. —Ben

Miles Davis “Filles de Kilimanjaro” (1969)

Miles was cranking out about two studio works a year with this, his great 60’s quintet when “Filles De Kilimanjaro” was recorded, and he was about to embark on his groundbreaking “jazz/fusion” era of career. It’s a time of transition too with Miles adding electric piano, played here by Herbie Hancock, and Chick Corea, and Dave Holland providing bass on two of the cuts in place of Ron Carter. On this album, Mile’s mood seems to be much lighter than displayed on “Neffertiti” the year before. The soundscapes seem to hold much more color, and there’s even an element of funk beginning to creep in. As with just about everything this group recorded, the playing is flawless. My favorites are “Tout De Suite”, and the beautifully rambling “Mademoiselle Mabry”. This is Miles in a state of transition with his music to be sure, although I doubt there was ever a time in his career that his music wasn’t in transition. That’s part of being a genius. Here he begins to explore acoustically for the most part, the territory that he would tear wide open with electric instruments in just a few years. That alone is enough to make this great album important, but the music alone more than speaks for itself. —Tim

Joe Jackson “Will Power” (1987)

In the context of his entire body of work, it’s neither out of place nor a difficult listen…quite the opposite. Even after 20 plus years, whenever I play this CD, it seems to fly by and end too soon – I can’t find a boring or wasted second on here. Jackson takes his cues from a wide range of composers (Aaron Copland, Ennio Morricone, Philip Glass to name a few), and comes up with an utterly original and fresh take on contemporary classical music. “No Pasaran” is pensive and slightly nervous with excellent use of dynamic range and spiky orchestral stabs. “Solitude” is beautifully mournful, one of the great treasures of his catalogue. The title track may be my favorite, it incorporates many styles into a unified and exciting whole and does so in a masterful way. “Nocturne” is Jackson’s piano solo showcase, and it’s fantastically beautifully composed and played…so much soul coming from the performance. The album closes with a piece reworked from a score he wrote for a Japanese film, that trivial tidbit hardly matters though. It’s certainly cinematic, or maybe I should really say it’s program music as it conveys a meaning that is forced to be separate from the film music that spawned it (having never seen the movie, that is). The sound quality of this release is expertly engineered – a full digital recording but done right with warmth and fullness. I’ve owned this album since it’s release and it gets played several times a year. As time passes, familiarity has caused a strong personal bond with the music and it’s become one of my favorite albums. —BabeHardy

Judas Priest “Stained Class” (1978)

From its chrome dome cover down through a production job as dry as a sun baked skeleton, Judas Priest’s “Stained Class” is a tight-fisted onslaught of gleaming metal riffs overlaid with Rob Halford’s villainous vocals and earsplitting screams. With the buzzsaw guitars of “Tipton and Downing” sending blue sparks of electricity through the rallying cry “Exciter,” other-worldly attackers of “Invader,” and burnt human cinders littering “Stained Class,” the album is both a frowning indictment and energizing call to rock without reservation. The band’s Spooky Tooth cover, “Better by You, Better Than Me” is an instantly infectious groover, while on the other end of the spectrum lies morbid suicide solution, “Beyond the Realms of Death.” Another bulletproof set from the masters in their prime. Fall to your knees and repent if you please! –Ben

Stackridge “Stackridge” (1971)

Among the most legendary names of the British folk rock movement, this Bristol-based band were formed in 1969 by Andy Creswell-Davis and James Warren as Stackridge Lemon, soon to be named simply Stackridge. 1970 finds the band having an intense live activity, playing at the first Glastonbury Festival and, a year later, supporting Wishbone Ash on their UK tour and signing with the MCA Records.

“Stackridge” is actually a mixed bag of short Beatles-esque pop tunes and longer arrangements played in some sort of symphonic/folk style. Even the short accesible tunes are well-played with rich instrumentation and good multi-vocals, blended nicely with folsky violins, tracks which even The Beatles would be proud of creating. But it is these long arrangements which make this album so special like the great “The Three Legged Table”, starting off like Phillips-era Genesis, pastoral acoustic-driven musicianship later to become a catchy brass/violin-rock heaven with perfect vocal lines. “Essence of Porphyry” is another instrumental highlight with complex instrumentation featuring violin and cello in a medieval style and excellent acoustic passages with fantastic flute work, always under a classical nature, like a cross between Genesis and Gentle Giant…or the 14-minute long “Slark”, which closes the album, a beautiful composition split between folk ballad, medieval music and symphonic rock with again some superb vocals. A real treasure.

Stackridge’s debut is more than simply a great album. Even the easy-listening side of the band contains unbelievable professionalism and unmet personality, marking this effort as one of the most significant and impressive debut’s in UK’s prog history. —Apps79

Roxy Music “Flesh + Blood” (1980)

“Flesh & Blood” found Roxy Music at the height of their transition from the very eclectic and experimental style of their initial first and extraordinary album in 1972 through 1975’s “Siren”. Following the much underappreciated “Manifesto”, and culminating with “Avalon” in 1982. Ferry and Co. continued to expand on their own brand of ‘post modern’ and progressive sound, that would eventually become one of the biggest influence along with Bowie on a slew of the New Wave bands to come. Bryan Ferry’s lounge lizard incarnation seemed to have come to full fruition on “Flesh & Blood”. I think all the songs on here are exceptional, including the covers “In the Midnight Hour” and “Eight Miles High”. I especially like “Flesh and Blood”, “Rain Rain Rain”, “My Only Love”, the Ferry/Manzanera penned “No Strange Delight” and “Running Wild”. The absence of the great Paul Thompson was made up by some great session drummers, like Allan Schwartzberg, Andy Newmark, and Simon Phillips. In my humble opinion, Roxy Music never made a bad record! —Carlos

Scorpions “Lonesome Crow” (1972)

Fans of the MTV Scorpions from the 80’s are in for a shock; Lonesome Crow has no pop hooks, no rocking us like a hurricane, and no cheesy love ballads. The lyrics and melodies are Avant Garde and the instruments are mostly in odd time. Generic hair metal fans of the “Love At First Sting” era will have their heads explode.

The album is a mix of psychedelic sounds, fusion, free-form jazz progressive rock and Krautrock influences. Also the bass playing is almost at Jaco Pastorius-like levels, melodically running up and down the jazz minor scales and popping out hundreds of incredible bass fills. “In Search of the Peace of Mind” has these beautiful haunting acoustic guitars in it that I’ve never heard anywhere else. Or how about those haunting wind sounds in “Leave Me”, where Meine cries out “Womaaaaaan…leave my mind!” Also this is the only record where Mikey is a full time band member and he is already a God, having hundreds of solos spread all over this album. Rudolf is more of less in the background with little Michael stealing the show with his jazz/proto metal solos. The title track is a 13 minute headphone trip, sounding like a soundtrack to a underground art film. Lonesome Crow is a musical masterpiece! —Ultra Magnus

Elton John “Blue Moves” (1976)

Blue Moves broke Elton John’s seven consecutive #1 album streak. This has wrongfully earned it a bad reputation. It didn’t help that it was instantly dismissed by the critics and that this in turn drove many of Elton John’s loyal fan away. In fact, it is a step up from it’s predecessor Rock of the Westies and a worthy continuation of what was up until this point his nearly flawless music output. Comparisons between this and Elton’s other, more famous, double album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road are likely to be what plagued its public reception, as they were inevitable. Whereas Yellow Brick Road was glamorous and flashy, Blue Moves is intentionally bloated, huge, and vast. Everything is blown out of proportion on this album and its obvious Elton meant it as a big step forward. It’s inherent ambition may have led to its bad reception, but in retrospect it is a fine album, in its own right and compared to its predecessors.

The title Blue Moves suggests a somber and withdrawn album, and this is true to some degree; the album’s hit “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” is solemn and depressing (if not beautiful) and the openers, “Your Starter For” and “Tonight” are dark orchestral pieces. Together, they act as this album’s version of “Funeral For a Friend/ Love Lies Bleeding”; “Your Starter For…” and the first half of “Tonight” are instrumental, much as “Funeral For a Friend”, but where that song was progressive rock, these are orchestral- not to mention gorgeous. They sound like the soundtrack to the saddest movie ever made. Then comes the vocals on “Tonight” and the song shifts gears slightly, sounding more poignant and fragile; though just as dark and moody. “Funeral For a Friend/ Love Lies Bleeding” may have been a more instantly-winning and exciting opener for Yellow Brick Road, these two songs stir more emotion, even if they don’t grab the listener at first. Continuing the dark trend of the album is the next track, “One Horse Town”, which has helps swing the the album in more of a rock direction. The guitar work is amazing and when coupled with the rich dark atmosphere the orchestra adds, it’s an incredible song. Next is a more lighthearted and traditional ballad; “Chameleon”, which is another lost treasure. Next is “Boogie Pilgrim”, which adds a good funk element to the equation, and the folky masterpiece “Cage the Songbird”. The next two tracks, “Crazy Water” and “Shoulder Holster” favorably recall the funk/rock atmosphere of Rock of the Westies. Then we come to the hit “Sorry”, followed by the odd instrumental “Out of the Blue”. The album continues to hit frequent highs from here, such as the gospel flavored “Where’s the Shoorah”, “If There’s a God in Heaven”, “Idol”, and “Someone’s Final Song”.Then come the final two tracks on the album: “Theme from a Non-Existant TV series”, which is yet another instrumental and by far the least impressive (it has an odd river dance feel to it) and “Bit Your Lip (Get Up and Dance)”, which is mind-numbingly repetitive, way too long and just plain irritating. Though the closing songs end the album on anything but a high note, Blue Moves is an underrated album. It takes some time to grow, but once it does, it ranks among his other great ’70s albums. —Tommy