DUSTY SPRINGFIELD - Dusty In Memphis (1969)

Sometimes memories distort or inflate the quality of recordings deemed legendary, but in the case of "Dusty in Memphis", the years have only strengthened its reputation. The idea of taking England's reigning female soul queen to the home of the music she had mastered was an inspired one. The Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin production and engineering team picked mostly perfect songs, and those that weren't so great were salvaged by Springfield's marvelous delivery and technique. This set has definitive numbers in "So Much Love," "Son of a Preacher Man," "Breakfast in Bed," "Just One Smile," "I Don't Want to Hear About It Anymore," and "Just a Little Lovin'" and three bonus tracks: an unreleased version of "What Do You Do When Love Dies," "Willie & Laura Mae Jones" and "That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-De-Ho)." It's truly a disc deserving of its classic status. (by Ron Wynn , All Music Guide)

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DUSTY SPRINGFIELD - Dusty In Memphis (1969)

HACKAMORE BRICK - One Kiss Leads To Another (1971)

HACKAMORE BRICK, a Brooklyn New York group, were Chick Newman, Robbie Biegel, Bob Roman, and Tommy Moonlight, their album has been compared to the Velvet Underground, especially their third lp period, but the organ riff on"I Won't Be Around/And I Wonder" reminds of the "Canterbury sound" pioneered by Caravan or Soft Machine, overall the album has an attitude that could only come from the streets of New York and a sound that pre-dates what would become the burgeoning punk movement of the late seventies, it's not all that though, there are some nice ballads here, "Reachin", "Peace Has Come", and "Someone You Know". (from wikipedia)

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HACKAMORE BRICK - One Kiss Leads To Another (1971)
Alternate link:
HACKAMORE BRICK - One Kiss Leads To Another (1971)

MADE IN BRAZIL - Made In Brazil (1974)

Formed in 1968 with R&B as their biggest source, MADE IN BRAZIL was one of the important precursors of Brazilian rock of the '80s. Their first album came out in 1974, "Made in Brazil". Among the festivals that revealed new talents of Brazilian rock, Os Heróis do Rock, in 1981, brought Made in Brazil together with Ira!, Azul 29, and others. The band recorded eight other LPs and CDs until 1998, always plagued by lack of commercial success and the departure of their members. Nevertheless, their several different formations were always led by founder Osvaldo Vecchione, and their albums always pleased part of the rock audience with their authenticity. Some of the band's hits are "Vou Te Virar de Ponta-Cabeça" (1976), "Jack O Estripador" (1976), "Anjo da Guarda" (1974), and "Minha Vida É o Rock'n'roll" (1981), all by Vecchione. (by Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide)

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MADE IN BRAZIL - Made In Brazil (1974)

JACQUES DUTRONC - Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S'eveille (1968)

On his second album, JACQUES DUTRONC took a giant leap toward immortality, delivering one of the greatest albums of French '60s rock at its most creative. Whereas his contemporary Ray Davies needed five to six albums to reach his artistic summit, the often compared Dutronc already succeeded at the second attempt. Hence, the first album's garage rock overtones were exchanged in a fortnight for a record on par with the Kinks' Something Else. On top of the sheer variety in musical styles, Dutronc delivers his finest hour: the classic chanson "Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S'Éveille," which could be viewed as a mirror image to Davies' "Waterloo Sunset." This clearly brings up the subject of Dutronc's silent partner, the songwriter Jacques Lanzmann. The genius of his lyrics proved just as crucial to the singer's image during the first stage of his career. The clever wordplay of songs like "Mini Mini Mini", commenting on the day's fashion, Dutronc insists he prefers "maxiskirt" to miniskirt, "maxister" to minister, and so on, helped to turn the debut album into a million-seller within a year of its release. However, the enchanting "Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S'Éveille" was an altogether different kind of story. Written by Lanzmann and his other half, Anne Ségalen, it's a poetic and fairly accurate account of a nightclubber's morning after: upon describing how the city slowly awakens, the song's protagonist decides he just isn't tired enough to go home yet. Highly recognizable for its flute solo (an improvisation by Roger Bourdin), it evokes images of Paris, for which the casual listener doesn't have to know a lot of French. Released as an EP in its own right, it proved a hit all over Europe and gets a lot of airplay to this day. Considering Dutronc's music and arrangements, there's a dazzling variety this time around. In addition, his singing has improved noticeably, as he switches on more than one occasion from mere reciting to actually carrying a melody. This becomes evident on a song like the Moody Blues-referencing "Le Métaphore" as well as the frivolous "Le Courrier du Coeur," a song set up as a newspaper advice column (kind of like "Dear Abby, I'm in love with a woman with a mustache"). Also, there are still plenty of wacky garage tunes left: the mixture of vaudeville and near hard rock of "La Publicité," the sitar-supported hippie bashing of "Hippie, Hippie, Hourrah," and Dutronc's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" avant la lettre "Les Méthamorphoses." It should be noted that all of Jacques Dutronc's seven albums made between 1966 and 1975 lack a proper title. To keep them apart, the second album is equally referred to by its original year of release (1968), the first song on the album "Comment Elles Dorment", or either one of the title tunes to the preceding or later released EPs "La Publicité," "Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S'Éveille," or "Le Courrier du Coeur." Furthermore, the content of these three EPs matches exactly with the 12 songs present on the second album. (by Quint Kik, All Music Guide)

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JACQUES DUTRONC - Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S'eveille (1968)

JOSE FELICIANO - For My Love...Mother Music (1974)

Produced and arranged in collaboration with the renowned Stax guitarist Steve Cropper, "For My Love...Mother Music" remains one of JOSE FELICIANO's most soulful and appealing LPs, moving seamlessly between earthy, Memphis-flavored Latin-funk and sun-kissed L.A. grooves. Credit also a winningly eclectic batch of songs that includes a brooding rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Blame It on the Sun" and a little knowing version of Steely Dan's "Dirty Work." Cropper's presence also seems to push Feliciano to new peaks as a guitarist: the virtuoso "The Gypsy" is stunning. (by Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide)

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JOSE FELICIANO - For My Love...Mother Music (1974)

JACQUES DUTRONC - Et Moi Et Moi Et Moi (1966)

One of the most dynamic and convincing rock musicians in the French '60s scene, JACQUES DUTRONC recorded several prime garage-pop-psychedelia albums in his time. Stylistically, he may be best compared to Ray Davies of the Kinks: like Davies, Dutronc combined strong American garage-rock influences with Beatle-era "beat" melodicism, along with irreverent homages to the music hall/vaudeville era. Plus, he paired up with Francoise Hardy, the most babilicious of all the ye-ye girls. Later, Dutronc moved into film acting, with roles in many movies, including alongside Catherine Denueve. (from slipcue.com)

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JACQUES DUTRONC - Et Moi Et Moi Et Moi (1966)

ANTOINE - Antoine Recontre Les Problemes (1966)

ANTOINE was France's premier folk-singer in the 60s, and Les Problemes were one of the top beat bands. This was the result when they joined forces, a superb mixture of folk-rock and fuzz-riddled garage punk, including the stand-out "Dodecaphonie" and "Je Ne Vois Rien". (from eil.com)

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ANTOINE - Antoine Recontre Les Problemes (1966)

LAJSO - Na drugoj strani (1974-2009)

Complete unknown singer-songwriter from Croatia (ex-Yugoslavia). This is his second album.

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LAJSO - Na drugoj strani (1974-2009)

THE HAUNTED - The Haunted (1967)

THE HAUNTED were an influential garage rock band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The band was formed by Jurgen Peter (guitar) in 1965 and went on to release several records before finally disbanding in 1971. They were among the first Canadian bands to achieve a level of success in their musical genre. In 1965, Jurgen Peter joined up with Bob Burgess (vocals), Al Birmingham (lead guitar), Glenn Holmes (bass), and Peter Symes (drums) to form The Haunted. Besides Jurgen Peter, the other constant band member through most of its six year history was lead guitarist Al Birmingham. The band membership that recorded the band's best known song, "1-2-5" was comprised of Al Birmingham (lead guitar), Jurgen Peter (rhythm guitar), Bob Burgess (vocals), Mason Shea (bass) and Dave Wynne (drums). The band's first big break came after winning a Battle Of The Bands at the Montreal Forum in 1965, beating such competitors as David Clayton-Thomas and the Shays. The first prize was studio time that they used to record the two songs on their first 45rpm, 1-2-5, with Eight O'Clock This Morning as the B-side. The first pressing of this record had the band name misprinted as "The Haunted." Ironically, the later pressing with the band's name correctly spelt are now more difficult to locate. The single achieved substantial local success, making the Canadian version of the national charts (RPM Weekly Magazone) and enough attention in the U.S. to attract a U.S. pressing of the 45 on the Amy label. Several more 7" singles, as well as a full-length self-titled LP over the next two years, which served to increase their popularity. The band grew to be one of the most in demand bands in Canada for the balance of the 1960s and into the early 1970s. Jurgen Peter decided to fold the band in 1971, commenting as follows: "We were the most sought after and highest paid Canadian band for many years. When I folded the band in 1971, I had to cancel a whole year of advance bookings and it cost me a fortune in lawyer's fees to get out of some of them." At the time of the breakup, the band had a loyal fan club with thousands of members. (from wikipedia)

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THE HAUNTED - The Haunted (1967)

JIMMY CAMPBELL - Half Baked (1970)

JIMMY CAMPBELL is one of the great, undiscovered talents of the Mersey scene. A singer songwriter Merseyside can be proud of and an artist to compare with singer songwriters such as James Taylor. Jimmy joined a group called the Tuxedos in the late 1950s and in 1961 they changed their name to the Panthers. During 1963 they were appearing regularly at the Cavern and compere Bob Wooler suggested they change their name to the Kirbys, which was the area of Liverpool they came from. The group decided to turn professional in 1964 and at one time were managed by Brian Epstein's former secretary, Beryl Adams. The group had their first single, '"It's A Crime" & "I've Never Been So Much In Love", penned by Jimmy, issued in Finland in 1966, a country in which they had a large following. During the same year they provided backing for the Merseys (the duo of Tony Crane and Billy Kinsley, former members of the Merseybeats). During 1968 they changed their name to the 23rd Turn Off. Jimmy penned "Michelangelo" & "Leave Me Here I Want To Stay Forever" as the group's single, which was issued on Deram. Following its lack of success Jimmy left the music business for six months, then returned to record an album for Fontana, "Son Of Anastasia" which was issued in 1969. In 1970 Jimmy teamed up with Billy Kinsley and Tony Crane of the Merseybeats, Pete Clarke of the Escorts and Joey Molland of Badfinger to record "Half Baked" which was released the same year and also became Jimmy's only American release. In 1971 Jimmy formed a group called "Rockin' Horse", who released an album, "Yes It Is". Jimmy's fourth album "Jimmy Campbell's Album" was issued in 1972. Jimmy still lives in Liverpool with his wife Yvonne and daughter and continues to write songs. (from Wikipedia)

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JIMMY CAMPBELL - Half Baked (1970)

THE BINTANGS - Blues On The Ceiling (1969)

THE BINTANGS first LP from 1969.

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THE BINTANGS - Blues On The Ceiling (1969)

THE BINTANGS - Travelling In The U.S.A. (1970)

THE BINTANGS from Beverwijk were originally named Rocket Dynes and Black Phantoms. They didn't only become known for their rough, smoky Hoogoven-born sound, but also for the great number of changes in their line-up. In the 1960s, especially in the province of Noord-Holland, they had a firm following, which, in the cities of Beverwijk and Haarlem, manifested itself in posters plastered on many walls and even a gigantic gas tank with their name painted on it. Although only one original member remains in the band now (Frank Kraayeveld, b, v) and they have split up a few times along the way, the Bintangs (Indonesian for "stars") are one of the (if not the) longest-lasting bands in the Netherlands. Key members throughout the years were - apart from Frank Kraayeveld - his younger brother Arti (g, v and principal songwriter) and Mick Jagger-soundalike Guus (or Gus) Pleines (v, h). After just two hits, Arti and Frank left The Bintangs in late 1970 and formed Kraayeveld (later renamed Circus Kraayeveld). In 1974, Gus Pleines joined Kraayeveld from the then-defunct Bintangs, but in 1975 they changed their name to Bintangs again. Arti had already left Kraayeveld in June 1973 (replaced by younger brother René Kraayeveld) and formed Carlsberg. Gus Pleines was the lead singer between 1968-1983 and 1989-2004. He died in 2007. The band officially split up in 1985 with Frank forming The Frank Kraayeveld Band. They regrouped in 1989 and continue to this day. (from alexgitlin.com)

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THE BINTANGS - Travelling In The U.S.A. (1970)

HOPNEY - Cosmic Rockout (1977)

HOPNEY's "Cosmic Rockout" is a rare 1977 US guitar psych album from Florida that was produced by Mike Pinera of Blues Image and Iron Butterly fame. Featuring some cool fuzz guitar work with melodic vocals this is reminiscent of Jeff Liberman with plenty of free flowing Hendrixy guitar work and a cool '70's funky vibe. (from rockadrome.com)

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HOPNEY - Cosmic Rockout (1977)

DAVID BLUE - Stories (1971)

With his fourth album, "Stories", DAVID BLUE joined Asylum Records, the label headed by David Geffen that had been set up to shelter singer/songwriters like Jackson Browne. For Blue, it was another welcoming home after stints at similarly artist-friendly Elektra and Reprise, and Stories was a continuation of his explorations of the personal relationships of sensitive people. The opening song was called "Looking for a Friend," and that was a good introduction to an album that was about the ups and downs of friendship and the loneliness that sets in when friends are not around. Musically, the album was divided between its two LP sides, each containing four songs. On the first four, the arrangements tended to be limited to two acoustic guitars, while the second half used more extensive instrumentation, including Pete Jolly's accordion on "Marianne," the piano-with-strings "Fire in the Morning" (the chart done by Jack Nitzsche), the full-on rock band playing on "Come on John," and piano/organ folk-rock for "The Blues (All Night Long)," with Ry Cooder adding slide guitar. Blue's lyrical reflections, expressed in his matter-of-fact baritone, touched on experiences that ranged from temporary romantic contentment to suicidal urges. "It wasn't easy, when I think about it/Living in the house of changing faces," he sang in the chorus of "House of Changing Faces," "I still have the tracks to remind me what life was like, high and wasted/When I wanted to die." That wasn't the only song to allude to drug use. The most explicit was "Come on John" (previously recorded by Helen Reddy), a cautionary tale for a friend that left little doubt about its subject when it began, "I've got a friend with a habit/A habit of runnin' away/He says he can't take it/But he takes it every day." Musically, the song had the feel of Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man," but for once Blue didn't sound so much like Dylan on Stories as he did like Leonard Cohen. In fact, there was one song that might have been a direct response to Cohen. It's hard not to at least speculate that "Marianne" may share a subject with Cohen's "So Long, Marianne," particularly because of the musical similarity and because of the lines "I knew her from another song her older poet, he'd wrote before/We played in the morning, laughing on the floor/Till he came a-knocking on the Lower East Side door." Although Blue, too, seemed not have stayed with her, he made a point of countering Cohen's farewell, singing in the chorus, "Do not cry, you have helped me, I will not say goodbye." Whether or not this is the same Marianne, however, she is another friend described by Blue in a series of songs about a community of companions who love and lose each other, yet whatever their fates, he seemed grateful to them all. (by William Ruhlmann)

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DAVID BLUE - Stories (1971)

ELEKTRIČNI ORGAZAM - Distorzija (1986)

"Distorzija" is really one of the best yugo rock records. Almost every song is hit. They smelted late 60s Stones rhythm & blues sound together with punk energy and great power pop melodies. Here and there they added some psychobilly spices and acid rock magic. With this record ELEKTRIČNI ORGAZAM became very popular in whole ex-Yugoslavia. (from jugobeat.com)

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ELEKTRIČNI ORGAZAM - Distorzija (1986)

NEW YORK ROCK & ROLL ENSEMBLE - Faithful Friends (1969)

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NEW YORK ROCK & ROLL ENSEMBLE - Faithful Friends (1969)

JOHN DUMMER BLUES BAND - Cabal (1969)

This blues outfit formed in the Summer of 1967 in London. By the beginning of 1968, Tony Walker and Roger Pearce had both quit the music business. The next line-up was playing solid Chicago-styled blues. In July 1968, they turned professional. By now, Steve Rye had departed for Simon and Steve, and Tony McPhee, a friend of Dave Kelly's, came in on guitar. However, McPhee's stay was brief - a few month later he left to join The Groundhogs. Their two albums for Mercury are the most sought-after by collectors. (from alexgitlin.com)

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JOHN DUMMER BLUES BAND - Cabal (1969)

MOBY GRAPE - Moby Grape (1967)

MOBY GRAPE's career was a long, sad series of minor disasters, in which nearly anything that could have gone wrong did (poor handling by their record company, a variety of legal problems, a truly regrettable deal with their manager, creative and personal differences among the bandmembers, and the tragic breakdown of guitarist and songwriter Skip Spence), but their self-titled debut album was their one moment of unqualified triumph. Moby Grape is one of the finest (perhaps the finest) album to come out of the San Francisco psychedelic scene, brimming with great songs and fresh ideas while blessedly avoiding the pitfalls that pockmarked the work of their contemporaries -- no long, unfocused jams, no self-indulgent philosophy, and no attempts to sonically re-create the sound of an acid trip. Instead, Moby Grape built their sound around the brilliantly interwoven guitar work of Jerry Miller, Peter Lewis, and Skip Spence, and the clear, bright harmonies of all five members (drummer Don Stevenson and bassist Bob Mosely sang just as well as they held down the backbeat). As songwriters, Moby Grape blended straight-ahead rock & roll, smart pop, blues, country, and folk accents into a flavorful brew that was all their own, with a clever melodic sense that reflected the lysergic energy surrounding them without drowning in it. And producer David Rubinson got it all on tape in a manner that captured the band's infectious energy and soaring melodies with uncluttered clarity, while subtly exploring the possibilities of the stereo mixing process. "Omaha," "Fall on You," "Hey Grandma," and "8:05" sound like obvious hits (and might have been if Columbia hadn't released them as singles all at once), but the truth is there isn't a dud track to be found here, and time has been extremely kind to this record. Moby Grape is as refreshing today as it was upon first release, and if fate prevented the group from making a follow-up that was as consistently strong, for one brief shining moment Moby Grape proved to the world they were one of America's great bands. While history remembers the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane as being more important, the truth is neither group ever made an album quite this good. (Mark Deming, All Music Guide)

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MOBY GRAPE - Moby Grape (1967)

DRAGO MLINAREC - A ti se ne daj (1971)

DRAGO MLINAREC was one of the most profilic singer/songwriters in the former Yugoslavia and the leader of the renowned beatsters GRUPA 220, the first ex-YU rock band that managed to record an LP album back in 1968 in Zagreb (present Croatia). This is his first solo LP from 1971.

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DRAGO MLINAREC - A ti se ne daj (1971)

SKALDOWIE - Krywan, Krywan (1973)

SKALDOWIE came into existence in the summer of 1965. Officially, the band made their debut on a contest called II Krakowska Gie?da Piosenki in October of the same year. They won that year's contest as well as the next two. From this time on a series of successes began for the band. They won some major contests in Poland (in Opole, Gdansk),and participated in two films. In 1967 they released their first, self-titled LP. In the same year they appeared on TV, and finally their lineup was established as follows: Andrzej Zielinski (organ, piano, vocal) his younger brother Jacek Zielinski (vocal, timpani, violin) Jan Budziaszek (drums) Jerzy Tarsinski (guitar) and Konrad Ratynski (bass, vocal). The next year the band began with participating in another film, and in March they recorded their second album, “Wszystko mi mówile mnie ktos pokocha?”. Then they left for their first tour outside Poland, in the USSR. In 1969 they released “Cala jestes w skowronkach”. Almost all the songs from this album became hits. In August and September of that same year SKALDOWIE toured in the USA and Canada. They came back with Hammond organs, and in January 1970 they began recording a very good album, "Od wschodu do zachodu s?onca", their first album with a proggy feel, or so I believe. Three months later they recorded their next abum, “Ty”. In 1971 and 1972 the band toured the UK and both parts of Germany (they were also in Munich during the 20th Summer ... In 1969 they released “Cala jestes w skowronkach”. Almost all the songs from this album became hits. In August and September of that same year SKALDOWIE toured in the USA and Canada. They came back with Hammond organs, and in January 1970 they began recording a very good album, "Od wschodu do zachodu slonca", their first album with a proggy feel, or so I believe. Three months later they recorded their next abum, “Ty”. In 1971 and 1972 the band toured the UK and both parts of Germany (they were also in Munich during the 20th Summer Olympic Games), then recorded their next two albums: mainstream, successful "Wszystkim zakochanym" and their first truly prog album, worshipped by Polish prog fans,“Krywan, Krywan”. It contains a nearly 18 minutes long suite, “Krywaniu, Krywaniu”, in which they blended all their current inspirations: from Polish highlander folk music to forms taken from classical music and even citations from the works of such composers as Bach, Mussorgski, Borodin and Rossini. In 1976 SKALDOWIE recorded another pair of albums, "Szanujmy wspomnienia" and "Stworzenia swiata czesc druga", the latter in the vein of “Krywan, Krywan” – also containing an even longer suite. Unfortunately, after that one Skaldowie didn’t record any more prog albums. The next albums from the band were "Rezerwat milosci" (1979) and "Droga ludzi" (1980). The latter was recorded on the occasion of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow; that’s why they went on a tour of the USSR. After coming back to Poland the band started recording a double LP, "Zostaw to miodszym", which would never be released (some of the songs from this album would be released later in 1996 on a compilation CD entitled “Podról magiczna”). At the end of the year Skaldowie went to tour in the USA. When in Poland martial law was enforced in December, Andrzej Zielinski decided to stay in the States, while the other members of the band succesively come back to Poland. The band disbanded soon afterwards. In 1987 Jacek Zielinski resurrected the band, though without Andrzej Zielinski and Jan Budziaszek, and in 1989 they released “Nie domykajmy drzwi”. However, in 2004 they toured with their classic lineup again, and in May 2006 they also released a new album, “Harmonia swiata”. (info by Bartlomiej Slazak)

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SKALDOWIE - Krywan, Krywan (1973)