The Soft Machine - The Soft Machine (1968)

Well after a fairly long leave of absence I am back with a lot of stuff to post for all of you who are still hanging around and waiting patiently. The album today is the band "The Soft Machine" first album which is self-titled. The album was released in 1968 on the One Way label. This like Pink Floyd's "Piper At the Gates of Dawn" is an psych album of the 1960's that actually delivered on what it built the listeners up for. Even though the band was never really a huge commercial success they still built and maintain quite a cult-following until this day. Their sound had influence on many other bands as well such as Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Egg, and FM. They were also one of the original British psych bands.

The sound on this album is really a jazz/pop/psych fusion that really works on all fronts. You will notice that they do bear an amazing resemble to a lot of the bands of that time. They seem to encompass a lot of different elements that they share with many other bands of that time. The music though is very, like stated earlier, psych/pop/jazz oriented and you can hear it from song one until the end. It has a very improvish-psych feel to it where there really is no rhyme or reason to go along with the music. They are seemingly just flying from the seat of their pants in a fairly jam-based, improv playing style. I am not trying to say that this is a bad thing, because it is a really great thing when it is done right, much like "The Soft Machine" do on this debut album. It is definitely an album to pick up if you like older bands like Pink Floyd and Tomorrows, or even if you like the newer bands like Medeski, Martin & Wood or Galactic.

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Os Mutantes - Os Mutantes (1968)

Os Mutantes is a psychedelic band that hails from Brazil that emerged from the Tropicalia movement of the 1960's. The band was formed by the brothers Arnaldo Baptista (vocals, keyboards) and Sergio Dias (vocals, guitar). They also recruited Rita Lee (vocals, percussion) as lead singer. They have released many album over the years their most recent being in 2000 when their albums Technicolor and O A eo Z, two albums recorded in the 1970's, were finally released.

This album was their debut album released in 1968 and is by far their best album to date. There is just so much going on in each song, from the fuzzed out guitar sounds, the upbeat bass lines, and even the environmental sounds that seem to be a staple in every Brazilian artists music. The music is defiantly a clear mixture of true Brazilian "pop" music but with just such an intense psychedelic feel to it. You can really hear the influences that artists such as The Beach Boys and Pink Floyd had on them when you listen to the environmental sounds that they have playing in many of the songs, and how the songs go from very solemn and slow to very up beat and really pay homage to the Tropicalia movement that was going on around that time. The song "Baby" is one of the few songs that I had a hard time really getting into because it is such a change of gears from songs like "A Minha Menina" or "Bat Macumba" two of the really amazing songs on this record. Never the less, the song "Baby" is still a good song but it may be a little bit harder to find a hook on for the more psych-rock fans. Towards the end of the album you get to hear the influence the Beatles and the Beach Boys had on this album, and it is blatantly obvious because the music has a sound that has quite a "Beatles-ish" sound to it, such as the song "Senhor F". Don't get me wrong, that is not a band influence to work with, and these guys pull it off flawlessly, which makes the album so much better because you are getting all these different artists or in the case of this album, the way that Os Mutantes interpreted the music that bands like the Beatles and the Beach Boys created.

The band has worked with a lot of different artists over the years and they continue to be a band that performs together and tours. Last year they played a few dates in cities like Chicago, New York, Seattle, and Miami. The band has also been a huge influence on a lot of musicians of this decade as well spanning everywhere from Beck and his tribute song to them "Tropicalia" to the front man of Of Montreal Kevin Barnes stating that Os Mutantes is one of his biggest influences. Granted this band had very limited success in their prime years, they still have played a pivotal part in the creation of some of the better music of this decade.

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Breakout - Blues (1971)

This artist, Tadeusz Nalepa, hails from Poland, and his band, Breakout, was considered on of the best and most influential rock bands in Poland and it really shows when you begin to listen to this album. Breakout was a band formed in 1969 by Tadeusz Nalepa. Originally, all the singing was done by Mira Kubasinska, but he was later replaced by Nalepa who was also the guitarist and harmonica player. This album, Blues, was Breakout's third album and finally became the sound that they followed. The previous two albums were both some very amazing prog records. All the guitar work on Blues is done by Dariusz Kozakiewicz who is considered the best Polish guitar player in rock history.

The music on this album certainly lives up to the name of the album. This album is very bluesy, and the amount of different blues styles that they cover is amazing. The have just dirty Delta-style blues, swing-time blues, there is just so many different types of stuff thrown together on this album. From their previous prog-rock stuff to all this new blues sound that they were trying out, they mix it all together to create a really great album that should be a must download for anyone who is a fan of not only the blues, but obscure takes on what the blues are in relation to different countries.

This type of blues style can actually be seen on a lot of different albums that are little known about from this period like Mon Dyh and The Jon Dummer Blues Band. Obviously this style and type of music was one that was experimented with by many different bands and many produced very good blues records, and this album is no exception. If you are a blues fan give a shot because more than likely you will like it.

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Flower Travellin' Band - Satori (1971)

"Satori" is the second album from the Japanese psych band The Flower Travellin' Band. The Flower Travellin Band is basically what you would get if you mixed Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin, and Blue Cheer together. Their music is very heavy-psych with amazing psych guitar work over all of it. This album is no exception to the acid-dazed, drug-induced sound that The Flower Travellin' Band was known for.
This album consists of five songs all titled "Satori" followed by a Roman numeral. The overall sound and feel of this album is definitely one with a very Eastern-culture feel to it which is only appropriate since they are a Japanese psychedelic band. The amount of different styles of music contained on this record is uncanny. The record starts right out with a Robert Plant-style scream followed by just grungy guitars followed right by some fuzzed out guitar riffs. This music is of an entirely different classification than anything else i have ever heard. There is Far East influences, American influences, and British influences. You get the sound of heavy rock, psych rock, Eastern music, there is just so many different things on this album and it all works so well together.
The Flower Travellin' Band was able to record an album that fully encompassed everything that the Acid/LSD/drug culture was waiting to hear. This album basically will change your entire perception of 1970's heavy rock.

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Van Morrison - Veedon Fleece (1974)

Well, welcome back and after a day's worth of rest i am ready to post some new stuff again. Since it is St. Patrick's Day today, and everyone is feeling a little Irish, i figured why not post something along those lines.
The album today is Van Morrison's Veedon Fleece. Now this is a record from Van's return to his Celtic roots so it is utterly appropriate for the occasion. This is the eighth studio album, and the final album in his very innovative 1968 to 1974 period. This period was followed by about three years of absolute nothing. This album followed his sudden divorce from his wife, Janet Planet, and his leave of absence from the U.S. In this album you can hear the emotional distraught from the situation that he has found himself in and the absolute sincerity and heart in his voice. Most of these songs were wrote in Ireland, the place where he took refuge after the divorce, and the land of Ireland and its sounds is very evident in this album's songs.
His voice is definite Van, but like i stated before you can hear the sadness and hurt in his voice which is what makes this album so amazing. This record is filled with a lot of great piano backing, which just adds to the real heart-felt sound that he is seemingly going for with this entire record. This album still has the Van Morrison voice that you are used to but in such a different light because his voice is now a product of hurt and let-down. Veedon Fleece is definitely not a bring-me-up album, it is an album you listen to when you are really down in the shit, but still it is really Van at his absolute best. Granted it is not as tortured and cathartic as Astral Weeks, but the entire thing is so deeply felt that you can't but feel for the guy because he is just laying his heart out on this album.
This entire album is nothing but one great song after the other that you can't help but to download it, get depressed, and just sit and sulk while you listen to Van Morrison just pour it out as if only to show you that you will never have it as bad as this. I know that it really isn't the music you would listen to on St. Patrick's Day, but when is there a better time to post an album like this?

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Faust - IV (1973)

Faust is another German psych band from the 70's that didn't quite have the success of bands such as Can or Neu!. Regardless of that fact they still garnished quite a cult following from their multiple albums, one of which was a fan-compiled albums of home recordings. IV was their third album and was a huge failure. It was such a failure that Virgin pulled the plug on their contract thus ending Faust's run and killing the hopes of a fifth LP. (They released a fourth album, but it was through a different label. The name of that album is Outside the Dream Syndicate.)
IV is the album that came a year after the very weird and very schizophrenic Faust Tapes. When listened to after listening to the Faust Tapes, IV seems very subdued. The real problem with this album is that it never really pulls together. It tries to become something, but there really is no defining thing in each song that can pull this album together and make it seem like it is more than just a bunch of random thoughts put on one CD. Granted there are good songs on this album, such as "The Sad Skinhead" and "Picnic on a Frozen River". The songs are good it is just how they compiled these songs that ruins it. This album plays like listening to the entire Faust discography on random, its not bad but it would be better if the songs would compliment each other a little more than they do.
Granted though, you get to hear a lot of good synth, loop, and guitar work. Enough to make this album a worthwhile download if you are a fan of stuff like Can and other Krautrock.

As always comment if you download.

Enjoy.

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Can - Tago Mago (1971)

The second album post for today is another amazing album from the Krautrock band Can. Tago Mago was Can's third album, and when first released it was a double LP. Ege Bamyasi, another Can album on this blog, was released the next year.This album is considered the bands best album and one of the best krautrock albums overall.
When you first listen to this album the first thing you will notice is the emphasis of the drums just a few minutes into the first song "Paperhouse". This intense drumming is a staple of this album. Every rhythm instrument is very defined and seemingly brought towards the front which just really adds to the overall intensity of this album. The guitars are also very distinct and really just add to the very heavy psych feel of this album. Once "Halleluhwah" and the following two songs hit though you get to hear Can at their absolute peak of music. These three songs take all of 47-some minutes and there is not a wasted note in that entire 47 minute run. Those three songs take you from easy-going to very intense groves that just seem to go on endlessly. There is an amazing amount of instrumentation on this album and none of it sounds cluttered like there is too much going on. Compliment that with Suzuki's senseless babbling and you have the elements to an amazing pysch-prog album.
When looking for something bad to say about this album i really don't think that anyone could find one if they were truly a fan of the Krautrock genre. This album is pure genius and has sprouted so much like it. If you listen to the song "Mushroom" it sounds as if it should be somewhere on Radioheads Kid A or Amnesiac albums. The thing about that is that Can did that same stuff 20 years before Radiohead even thought of anything like that. It just goes to show how far ahead of their time Can was, and it is very obvious with albums like Tago Mago.

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Saddle Kings - Our Big Brown Bat

Alright, I have a big surprise for everyone today and that comes in my first post. The album is the Saddle Kings "Our Big Brown Bat". These guys hail from right here in Vermillion, SD and there is actually a few of them still around here. This download contains around 32 songs because this is a double-disc but i didn't want to sort them so i will leave that to you. You really don't even have to sort them because they don't have to be played in any particular order.
Anyways this is a record that i have always enjoyed and i am sure you will as well. Its got a really upbeat alt-country feel to it. There are a lot of good songs on this record. Some of the ones that i have always liked were "Elizabeth", "Kissing Class", "South Dakota Saturday Night", and "Boca Riton High School Football Team". Granted there are a lot more good songs on the album but off the top of my head those are the ones that get the most play time.
The sound is kind of along the lines of Wilco's "Being There" and Son Volt's "Wide Swing Tremolo" or at least that is two of the albums that pop in my head when i listen to it straight through. Regardless give it a listen and i am sure that you will take a quick liking to it just as i did.

Please do comment on this album though because this really isn't an album you can get anywhere else and i do want to know what people think of it, and if you like it next time you are down at Carey's make sure to thank Chris, Franco, Danny, Lance, and Davis for the great record.

Enjoy.

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Ten Wheel Drive - Construction #1 (1969)

Ten Wheel Drive was a band that formed after Genya Ravan's all-female band Goldie and the Gingerbreads broke up. Around the same time Michael Zager and Aram Schefrin were also looking for a band as well. After being introduced to each other by their managers and also after filling the entire brass section Ten Wheel Drive was officially born. The thing about Zager, Schefrin, and Ravan is that they all came from a different musical background, so they all had to find a way to mix and match these to create the best possible formula for Ten Wheel Drive, and they did an amazing job.
Their first big show was in 1969 at the Fillmore East in New York where halfway through the show Genya Ravan decided that her voice and the music behind it wasn't quite enough for the crowd so she decided to take off her vest and perform the last half of the show topless.
Ten Wheel Drive is some very, very intense psychedelic-afro funk/blues/soul music that is seemingly way ahead of its time. Genya Ravan's voice bears an uncanny resemblance to Janis Joplin's voice, but the band backing Genya makes this album so much more heavy than any of Joplin's records. The only time Joplin's music even came close to resembling this was at Woodstock when she had Kozmic Blues backing her, but the thing about that is that Ten Wheel Drive had already done that so to anyone who knew anything about would have known that it really wasn't that revolutionary. There is just so many different backing instruments playing that the music just becomes so intricate and elaborate that it fully separates itself from any genre or band of that time . Genya's voice can go from so soothing and smooth to just a "sharp as razor blades" screech that just makes you feel the soul in every single song. The brass and rhythm section backing also adds to the overall funk/soul sound of this album. You get this big-band-ish , psychedelic, funky, soul sound out of every song and you can sense each individual musicians different musical background as the ball all of them up to create an amazing album. There is just not a bad song on this album. Every song carries the same amount of absolute soul and this unique sound that you just can't find anywhere else.

Prove me wrong. Don't forget to comment.

Enjoy.

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SRC - SRC (1968)

SRC (short for Scott Richardson Case) is a Detroit rock band from the 60's who released about 5 different albums during their years together. The band consists of Scott Richardson (vocals), Steve Lyman (rhythm guitar and vocals), Gary Quackenbush (lead guitar), Glenn Quackenbush (organ), Robin Dale (bass and vocals), E.G. Clawson (drums). Robin Dale and Gary Quackenbush were both replaced and the groups later works after their 1969 release "Milestones" suffered as they tried to move from psych to prog-rock. So make a note to yourself that if you like this album stop after "Milestones" or you are just going to be disappointed.
Gary Quackenbush is really the pivotal part of this band. His outrageous fuzzed-out guitar work is what really pulls this album together and makes it the truly great psych-rock album that it is. Listening to the guitar work one can't help but think of Michael Karoli of Can maybe not only and influence on the guitar work, but possibly influenced as well. Granted that is a pretty bold statement, but once you hear that guitar it gets a little uncanny .
Both Glenn and Scott pulled a lot of influence from the groups Procol Harum and The Pretty Things. This shows in the overall psychedelic mood of all the songs on this album.

"Onesimpletask" a song off of this album is posted on the newly added music player to the right so check it out, and make sure to leave comments if you download.

Enjoy.

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New Addition

If you notice something new on the blog and don't know what it is, it is that music player on the right hand side of the page. Every time i upload an album i will upload a song that i like onto that player so those concerned about downloading things without listening to them can get a feel for the album. Anyways, there will be more albums today, but they probably won't get uploaded until later tonight.

Enjoy.

Strawberry Path - When the Raven Has Come to Earth (1971)

What we have now is an album that has been called and i quote "Japanese psychedelic folk". Well let us clear that up right away because this stuff is definitely not remotely close to any kind of folk music. This stuff is flat out Japanese hard psych. This reminds me more of listening to say Sir Lord Baltimore, or for those who don't know who that is, they have many guitar parts that will remind you of Hendrix and Paige. Regardless, there is a little of something for everyone in this album, whether you are a psych-head, garage rocker, or just a music nut, there is something in this album for everyone. This album starts out 1oo miles per hour and jumps speeds the entire time but still keeps that psych identity and feeling throughout. You really don't realize how many different genres this album can actually cover until you sit down and listen to it through. The guitar work in this album is just enticing, the drumming is very fast and tight, and not to mention the organ is really relied on not just stuck in the background like most albums. Overall this is just a really good album and it is definitely worth checking out.

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Akido - Akido (1972)

Well let us start this day of heavy music posting out with something completely off the wall. What i have posted here is a African-psychedelic album from 1972. What this album has on it is a few really good afro-funk/psychedelic songs that really make the album stick out. Other than those few good songs: Jo Jo Lo, Awade, and Midnight Lady; the album is just a normal psychedelic album. What it does have going for it that separates this album from every other psych album that came out in years before and years to come is that this album relies very heavily on this whole African motif that it incorporates throughout the entire record. Whether it be the erratic tribal drumming in the background or the chanting before the guitars come on in songs like "Awade". Regardless, it is still quite a good premise for world-psych music and its originality makes it a good pick-up.

Please do comment if you download, I would like to know how i am doing, not to inflate my ego, but just to make sure those who are visiting and downloading are enjoying the work i put into this.

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3 Hur-El - Hurel Arsivi (1974)

We are back at it again posting more random music for your listening enjoyment. The album today is a Turkish psych-rock album from 1974 from the band 3 Hur-El. The band actually consisted of three brothers, one of which wrote all the lyrics and music, and he also played a double-necked instrument with one neck for his guitar and another neck for the Turkish saz. This album was considered one of their most important works because it encompassed all of this new progressive sound that was not heard on their previously released albums.

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Selda - Selda (1976)

Another post today would have to be my all-time favorite Turkish psychedelic album to date, and that is Selda's self-titled album. I was first introduced to this a while ago by one of my friends down at school and i was in love right away. The guitars are so intricate and fuzzed out that you can't help but to get lost within the music. Granted, you can't actually understand what she is saying, but you can hear the power in her voice, and it just sends shivers up my spine. She was a Turkish protest-psychedelic rock singer and she does it so well that it is scary. If one can honestly listen to this album and not just fall in love with everything going on within it I will be the most amazed person because this stuff will get anyone really digging on the Turkish psychedelic scene.
I have listened to other Turkish stuff, but still it all seems so mediocre to what Selda puts out there. If you get this and like it i am sure that i will be posting some more of this genre as time passes. There is just so much to be taken from music like Selda's, or Erkin Koray's, or even 3 Hur-El. Just give it a listen and really just let yourself be taken in and blown away by this music.

Enjoy.

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Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (2007)

Alright, so i promised some albums were going to be posted today but during my intense fight with my hangover during the daytime hours i had to wait until now to post them. So lets start this out semi-happy and quickly move to some more different stuff that i am sure no one will actually want to download, but then again it is free and there for the taking.

First off we have the new album from one of my personal favorite bands (new bands mind you) Of Montreal. This guy never ceases to amaze me with his use of such up beat music and the absolute most depressing lyrics ever recorded over such happy music. To tell you the truth most times i don't know if i should be dancing and loving life or just curling up in a big old depression ball and hating life. How could you go wrong with music like that?

I am not going to tell you a whole lot about it, so just get it and hear it for yourself. It is quite an amazing piece of work.

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Can - Ege Bamyasi (1972)

Can is a German pysch-band from the seventies that have had such an influence on bands like Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, The Joy Division, and David Bowie. You can really sense of Can's psych/jazz/chaotic sound and influence in works that the above named have recorded, Radiohead being a very big one. Can has been said to have done more than any other band to really define "krautrock". Granted i can't say if they have or not but what i can say is that their music in both "Ege Bamyasi" and in "Tago Mago" is music that you would be hearing now. That' how far ahead of its time it was.

Can's album "Ege Bamyasi" was released in 1972 after they released their double album "Tago Mago" in 1971. One of the singles off of "Ege Bamyasi", "Spoon", was on the German Top 40 list due to its usage as a popular German television theme song.

You will notice right away how complex and multi-layered each song is. There seems to be so many different instruments being played at once. This really adds to the full feel of this album. Not to mention that the psych feel you get from it is unmistakable. So once again check it out and see what you think of this great "krautrock" album.

Enjoy.

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The Baby Huey Story - The Living Legend (1971)

Alright, since it is Spring break, and i have nothing else to do except post music i figured i would post a couple more albums that you can download and see what you think. Also I am sorry for the various type style and album cover placement, but i am just trying out different styles to find one that i like and want to stick with for the remainder of this blogging adventure.

"The Living Legend" by Baby Huey and the Babysitters is the first one of this second post here. This album was released after the death of Baby Huey. This guy was like 400 lbs. and could just belt it out, but he ended up dying of health complications due to his heroin addiction at the prime age of 26, a year before his first and last album was released. After his death the Babysitters tried Chaka Kahn as a lead singer but disbanded shortly after.

What this is, is a soul album for the masses. The man covers a few songs here and there in it, and they all sound amazing. His stuff has been sampled by various different hip-hop artists such as Ghostface Killah, Ice Cube, and A Tribe Called Quest. You definitely need to check out "A Change is Going to Come" on the album, it will make you realize the talent that this man had.

Enjoy.

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The Groundhogs-Who Will Save the World (1972)

First album to be added to this blog. Exciting, right? Hopefully everything was packaged right so that when you unpack it you won't have to worry about finding the names and such for each song.

The name of the band is The Groundhogs, and the name of the album is "Who Will Save the World?". This album was their fourth album. The great thing about these guys is that they are acclaimed as an amazing rock/blues/psych band that no one knows about and that is what kept them from never moving past a "cult" following of fans. Its a great album with great guitar work. Even if it is your first time listening to it you will find yourself tapping your foot and just really getting into it all.

Track List:

1.Earth is Not Room Enough
2.Body in Mind
3.Music is the Food of Thought
4.Bog Roll Blues
5.Death of the Sun
6.Amazing Grace
7. The Grey Maze

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Here We Go

Alright, let us just pretend that someone actually cares about the music that I am listening to and suggesting to others via the F.B. and wants to get it, but they can't find it on their terrible excuses for P2P-based file sharing programs. Well, I figured that I would make it easy for all those who actually want to hear this music and make a blog with it posted along with some information about the record and the artist. I myself will take little to no credit about the artist info posted since much will be "Google-d".

For those who have never used a blog to get music, let me explain how it works. First off, you need to find whatever album you are looking for, and at the bottom there will be a link that simply says "download". After you click this link you will be taken to a site called zShare. Once you get to that site hit "download" and you will begin to download the album. Here is the thing though, you will need a program called WinRAR, which can be found with a quick "Google-ing", in order to open and extract them into your iTunes, Windows Media Player, or WinAmp folders so that you can listen to them.

So without further waiting, lets get this thing started and see how long it takes for someone to actually download something or for me to get shutdown.

-bobby