King Crimson reborn yet again -- the then-newly configured band makes its debut with a violin (courtesy of David Cross) sharing center stage with Robert Fripp's guitars and his Mellotron, which is pushed into the background. The music is the most experimental of Fripp's career up to this time -- though some of it actually dated (in embryonic form) back to the tail-end of the Boz Burrell-Ian Wallace-Mel Collins lineup. And John Wetton was the group's strongest singer/bassist since Greg Lake's departure three years earlier. What's more, this lineup quickly established itself as a powerful performing unit, working in a more purely experimental, less jazz-oriented vein than its immediate predecessor. "Outer Limits music" was how one reviewer referred to it, mixing Cross' demonic fiddling with shrieking electronics, Bill Bruford's astounding dexterity at the drum kit, Jamie Muir's melodic and usually understated percussion, Wetton's thundering yet melodic bass, and Fripp's guitar, which generated sounds ranging from traditional classical and soft pop-jazz licks to hair-curling electric flourishes.

(by Bruce Eder, All Music Guide)

If Don Henley was the sole member of the Eagles underrepresented on their debut album, Eagles, with only two lead vocals and one co-songwriting credit, he made up for it on their follow-up, the "concept" album Desperado. The concept had to do with Old West outlaws, but it had no specific narrative. On Eagles, the group had already begun to marry itself to a Southwest sound and lyrical references, from the Indian-style introduction of "Witchy Woman" to the Winslow, AZ, address in "Take It Easy." All of this became more overt on Desperado, and it may be that Henley, who hailed from Northeast Texas, had the greatest affinity for the subject matter. In any case, he had co-writing credits on eight of the 11 selections and sang such key tracks as "Doolin-Dalton" and the title song. What would become recognizable as Henley's lyrical touch was apparent on those songs, which bore a serious, world-weary tone. Henley had begun co-writing with Glenn Frey, and they contributed the album's strongest material, which included the first single, "Tequila Sunrise," and "Desperado" (strangely never released as a single). But where Eagles seemed deliberately to balance the band's many musical styles and the talents of the band's members, Desperado, despite its overarching theme, often seemed a collection of disparate tracks -- "Out of Control" was a raucous rocker, while "Desperado" was a painfully slow ballad backed by strings -- with other bandmembers' contributions tacked on rather than integrated. Randy Meisner was down to two co-writing credits and one lead vocal ("Certain Kind of Fool"), while Bernie Leadon's two songs, "Twenty-One" and "Bitter Creek," seemed to come from a different record entirely. The result was an album that was simultaneously more ambitious and serious-minded than its predecessor and also slighter and less consistent.

(by William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide)

Pete Sinfield ist den meisten Musikfans am besten bekannt durch die Lyrics, die er für King Crimson und Emerson Lake & Palmer schrieb. »Still« ist sein Debut-Solo-Album, das ursprünglich 1973 auf ELPs eigenem Label Manticore erschien und als Gastmusiker so illustre Kollegen wie Greg Lake, Ian Wallace, Mel Collins, John Wetton und Keith Tippet vorweisen kann.

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As expected, Pete Sinfield's only solo attempt has the fingerprints of King Crimson covering every track, and the end result is an obvious but rather gratifying piece of early progressive rock. With fellow Crimsonites Greg Lake, Mel Collins, and John Wetton helping him out, Sinfield manages to capture a sturdy-enough progressive air across the length of the album, complemented by periodic injections of classical, rock, and jazz movements. While Sinfield's vocal contributions are a little uninviting, he makes up for it with the assistance of Greg Lake for the title track, which is a spoken-word poem set to Lake's singing. "The Song of the Sea Goat" is another well-crafted piece that applies classical tendencies borrowed from Vivaldi, and Collins comes alive with some exquisite flute playing throughout "The Piper," one of the album's strongest cuts. To Sinfield's credit, his surreal lyrics are mindful and well written, with a strong regard for prog rock's fantastical milieu, and because of this the album maintains its strength when the music itself begins to falter in some areas, such as on "Will It Be You" and "Envelopes of Yesterday." Tracks like "Wholefood Boogie" and "Under the Sky" are delightful emissions of keyboard-built progressive music that are wisely infused with mild doses of blues and synth-guided rock. Although the pieces that make up Still aren't as overwhelming as most of King Crimson's repertoire at the time, they do help illustrate Sinfield's talents as an individual, since his membership within his former band was seemingly overshadowed by the other personnel. Still isn't a crucial segment of progressive rock's uprising of the early '70s, but it does make for an entertaining sidebar for anyone interested in King Crimson's stock. The album was later reissued as Stillusion, with a different track sequence and revised liner notes.

(by Mike DeGagne, All Music Guide)

Unter solch einem Haufen Platten nach stundenlangem Hören noch an sich selbst zu denken und sowas wie eine "Lieblings-LP" herauszufinden, ist nicht einfach. Aber bei Krokodils Doppelalbum SWEAT AND SWIM ... machte mir die Suche einfach. Endlich mal eine Gruppe, die sich dem Rhythm & Blues verschrieben hat. Jede Menge echter Ohrwürmer sind auf der Platte, z.B. die Auftaktnummer "Talking Worid War III Blues". Drei Harmonien hat das Stück, aber die bekommen durch die monotone Wiederholung eine unbeschreibliche Faszination. Vor allen Dingen aber ist wichtig, wer sie wie wiederholt. Walti Anselmos Sprechgesang mit einer verrücktmachend spröden Stimme vorgetragen, sein Gitarrenspiel (hier zusammen mit Gast Rainer Marz), Moyo Weidelis jammernde Mundharmonika, Terry Stevens Bass-Stakkatos und Düde Dürsts tour de force auf dem Schlagzeug, das alles zusammen ist so technisch perfekt, hat soviel Swing und zeugt von soviel Phantasie, daß man sich an den Kopf' fasst und sich fragen muß, weshalb denn dais Krokodil bei uns immer noch im Schatten dahinvegetiert - Schade, der Platz hier reicht leider nicht aus, sich weiter zu begeistern. Bei dieser Platte würde ich es gerne tun. Doch ein Stück muss ich noch erwähnen, nämlich "Linger", das die gesamte Seite 3 einnimmt. Ganz langsam, mit einem langen Flötensolo von Moyo Weideli, schleicht es sich in den Kopf, um dann immer schneller werdend mit raisenden Gitarren und heulendem Synthesizer dort zu explodieren. Wen's interessiert, das Ganze ist übrigens in echtem Vierkanal aufgenommen. Ich hab's bei einem reichen Mann getestet, und das macht die Platte tatsächlich noch besser. Nur, wer hat schon Geld zuviel?

(Sounds, 1973)

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15er 140g-Vinyl-Reissue, Klappcover. Von 1973. Damals z.B. in der „Sounds“ hoch gelobt, sind die Schweizer nun ziemlich vergessen. Im Zentrum steht das 18-minütige Linger, das ganz zart beginnened sich immer mehr hypnotisch verdichtet, de Gitarren- teilweise von Flöten-Dominanz und sanftem Gesang abgelöst – ob man das jetzt Psyche, Prog oder Kraut nennt, ist egal. Später wird daraus ein Boogie-Guitar-Jam ähnlich Man (an die auch der leise Beginn erinnert). Ansonsten: Neben dem wunderbaren poetischen Kris Kristofferson-Cover Baby Dee (purer Songwriter-Country!) und einem langen Roots-Rocker viel Blues/R´n´B-Einfluß, gern in rockender/abziehender Form, mal lakonisch in Lou Reed-Nähe, auch kleine Psyche/Prog-Spritzerchen, Wah-Wah. Oft unterstützt eine Harmonica die Gitarren.

(dvd, Glitterhouse 2015)

This obscure musician has made some unforgettable albums, like Case History and this sprawling masterpiece. His themes are often very dark (fellow Brit Nick Drake’s “Black Eyed Dog” comes to mind when I listen to Coyne) and deals with stuff like insanity, despair, abuse and all manner of deviancies. He’s also a sharp satirist, as demonstrated by Dog Latin, This Is Spain and Good Boy, in which he respectively sends up organised religion, holidays in Spain and the public school system. Eastbourne Ladies also falls into this category. Everybody Says is a beautiul acoustic ballad and Mummy is a sweeping wall-of-sound rocker. His voice is not unlike Van Morrison’s in its scope and expressive range, but while Van’s is likely to be affected by spiritual ecstacy, Coyne’s can be twisted with rage or anguish, as on the title track. Marlene is a catchy number with gorgeous organ and guitar, a galoping beat and a sinister undertone. Talking To No One and House On The Hill are anguished but moving ballads about alienation and insanity. Lonesome Valley is more of the same, but over an uptempo beat and complex vocal arrangement where his voice really shines. Other great tracks include I Want My Crown, Nasty and Chairman’s Ball. With his chosen subject matter, it’s no surprise that Coyne has remained obscure. Still, I think that fans of Leonard Cohen, Richard Thompson, Marianne Faithfull, Nick Drake, Nico, Lydia Lunch and especially Swans, will find much here to appreciate.

After satisfying their nine-title/dozen-disc deal with Warner Brothers, the Dead began their own record labels: Grateful Dead Records (for group releases) and Round Records (for solo projects). Wake of the Flood was the first Dead disc issued entirely under the band's supervision -- which also included manufacturing and marketing. Additionally, the personnel had been altered as Ron "Pigpen" McKernan had passed away. The keyboard responsibilities were now in the capable hands of Keith Godchaux -- whose wife Donna Jean Godchaux also provided backing vocals. It had been nearly three years since American Beauty -- their previous and most successful studio album to date -- and, as always, the Dead had been honing the material in concert. A majority of the tracks had been incorporated into their live sets -- some for nearly six months -- prior to entering the recording studio. This gave the band a unique perspective on the material, much of which remained for the next 20-plus years as staples of their concert performances. However, the inspiration and magic of the Grateful Dead's music has always been a challenge to capture in the non-reciprocal confines of a studio. Therefore, while Wake of the Flood was certainly as good -- if not arguably better than -- most of their previous non-live efforts, it falls far short of the incendiary performances the band was giving during this era. There are a few tracks that do tap into some of the Dead's jazzier and exceedingly improvisational nature. "Eyes of the World" contains some brilliant ensemble playing -- although the time limitations inherent in the playback medium result in the track fading out just as the Dead start to really cook. Another highlight is Bob Weir's "Weather Report Suite," which foreshadows the epic proportions that the song would ultimately reach. In later years, the band dropped the opening instrumental "Prelude," as well as "Part One," choosing to pick it up for the extended "Let It Grow" section. The lilting Jerry Garcia ballad "Stella Blue" is another track that works well in this incarnation and remained in the Dead's rotating set list for the remainder of their touring careers.

(by Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide)

After the musical uncertainty of Waterloo Lily, Caravan returned with their most inspired recording since In the Land of the Grey and Pink. The splendidly titled For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night is several steps ahead in terms of fresh musical ideas that wholly incorporate the band's trademark humor within the otherwise serious and challenging sonic structures. Two of the more dominant reasons for the change in Caravan's sound were the return of keyboardist Dave Sinclair and the addition of violist Peter Geoffrey Richardson. Die-hard fans gladly welcomed Sinclair back, however, Richardson was met with heckles from enthusiasts during live appearances. They were soon silenced as his place on For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night easily ranks among Caravan's watershed moments. There are perhaps none better than the mesmerizing counterpoint melodies he weaves during the "L'Auberge Du Sanglier" suite. While not completely abandoning their jazz leanings, For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night is considerably focused back into the rock genre. Ironically, the album also features some rather elaborate orchestration. In context, it is quite effective in creating emphasis -- especially on the leadoff track "Memory Lain, Hugh," as well as the dreamy mid-tempo "The Dog, The Dog, He's At It Again." The remastered CD also includes five additional tracks. The first four are demos featuring the band without orchestra and with some notable differences, such as the distinct lead guitar opening to "Memory Lain, Hugh." "Derek's Long Thing" is another instrumental piece penned by keyboardist Derek Austin -- one of the two transitional Caravan members chosen to replace Steve Miller. A must-own for inclined parties.

(by Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide)

Genesis proved that they could rock on Foxtrot but on its follow-up Selling England by the Pound they didn't follow this route, they returned to the English eccentricity of their first records, which wasn't so much a retreat as a consolidation of powers. For even if this eight-track album has no one song that hits as hard as "Watcher of the Skies," Genesis hasn't sacrificed the newfound immediacy of Foxtrot: they've married it to their eccentricity, finding ways to infuse it into the delicate whimsy that's been their calling card since the beginning. This, combined with many overt literary allusions -- the Tolkeinisms of the title of "The Battle of Epping Forest" only being the most apparent -- gives this album a storybook quality. It plays as a collection of short stories, fables, and fairy tales, and it is also a rock record, which naturally makes it quite extraordinary as a collection, but also as a set of individual songs. Genesis has never been as direct as they've been on the fanciful yet hook-driven "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" -- apart from the fluttering flutes in the fade-out, it could easily be mistaken for a glam single -- or as achingly fragile as on "More Fool Me," sung by Phil Collins. It's this delicate balance and how the album showcases the band's narrative force on a small scale as well as large that makes this their arguable high-water mark.

(by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide)

Drummer Billy Cobham was fresh from his success with the Mahavishnu Orchestra when he recorded his debut album, which is still his best. Most of the selections showcase Cobham in a quartet with keyboardist Jan Hammer, guitarist Tommy Bolin, and electric bassist Lee Sklar. Two other numbers include Joe Farrell on flute and soprano and trumpeter Jimmy Owens with guitarist John Tropea, Hammer, bassist Ron Carter, and Ray Barretto on congas. The generally high-quality compositions (which include "Red Baron") make this fusion set a standout, a strong mixture of rock-ish rhythms and jazz improvising.

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

Mit ihrem unverwechselbaren Psychedelic- / Prog-Rock-Mix zählt die britische Formation Nektar bis zum heutigen Tage zu den führenden Formationen des Genres. So konnte man sich letztjährig im Rahmen des Burg-Herzberg-Festivals (Juli 2010) von den überragenden Live-Qualitäten der Band überzeugen, die seit ihrer Gründung mehr als zwanzig Longplayer veröffentlichte, darunter das 1973 auf dem Label Bacillus erschienene Konzeptalbum „Remember The Future“.

Das Werk, das in den USA seinerzeit Goldstatus erreichte, zählt bis heute den erfolgreichsten und beliebesten Veröffentlichungen der Band. Kompositorisch auf höchstem Niveau, fusionieren auf dieser (für Nektar-Verhältnisse) vergleichsweise sanften zweiteiligen Suite symphonische Progressive-Rock-Klänge und psychedelisch groovender Spacerock (inklusive luftigem West-Coast-Flair) zu einem perfekt strukturierten, epischen Meisterwerk. Stehen bei Part 1 vornehmlich die opulenten Keyboardsounds von Allan Freeman im Mittelpunkt des musikalischen Geschehens, so dominieren die virtuos rockenden Soloexkursionen von Gitarrist Roye Albrighton den zweiten Teil ihres vierten Longplayers.

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Das Prog-Rock-Meisterwerk der Briten aus dem Jahr 1973 ist natürlich wie geschaffen für eine Vinyl-Wiederveröffentlichung. Zwei (mehrteilige) Tracks, jeder jeweils eine LP-Seite lang, eine aufklappbare LP-Hülle mit lesbaren Texten und Musik, bei der Roye Albrighton (g, voc), Allan Freeman (keys, voc), Derek Moore (b, voc) und Ron Howden (dr, voc) nur so vor Kreativität strotzen.

(Good Times, Oktober / November 2011)

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With Ringo, Ringo Starr finally put his solo career in gear in 1973, after serving notice with back-to-back Top Ten singles in 1971 and 1972 that he had more to offer than his eccentric first two solo albums. Ringo was a big-budget pop album produced by Richard Perry and featuring Ringo's former Beatles bandmates as songwriters, singers, and instrumentalists. On no single track did all four appear, though George Harrison played the guitars on the John Lennon-penned leadoff track "I'm the Greatest," with Lennon playing piano and singing harmony. But it wasn't only the guests who made Ringo a success: Ringo advanced his own cause by co-writing two of the album's Top Ten singles, the number one "Photograph" and "Oh My My." The album's biggest hit was a second chart-topper, Ringo's cover of the old Johnny Burnette hit "You're Sixteen." Songs like "Have You Seen My Baby," a Randy Newman song with guitar by Marc Bolan, and Ringo and Vini Poncia's "Devil Woman" were just as good as the hits. Ringo's best and most consistent new studio album, Ringo represented both the drummer/singer's most dramatic comeback and his commercial peak. The original ten-track 1973 album got even better in 1991 as a 13-track CD reissue, the bonus tracks including the 1971 gold single "It Don't Come Easy" and its B-side, "Early 1970," a telling depiction of Ringo's perspective on the Beatles breakup.

(by William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide)

The group's debut album. They were still a quartet at the time, without a full-time keyboard player. The material is essentially progressive folk-rock, elements of jazz and swing ("Over the Rainbow" even turns up interpolated in the arrangement of one number) juxtaposed with traditional folk songs ("The Unquiet Grave," ka "Dives and Lazarus"), works attributed to Henry VIII, and folk-style originals. Brian Gulland's and Richard Harvey's bassoon, krumhorn, and recorders are the dominant instruments. The instrumental tracks tend to overwhelm the tiny handful of vocal numbers, sung by Gulland, guitarist Graeme Taylor, and drummer David Oberle.

(by Bruce Eder, All Music Guide)

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Gryphon was one of the more unusual of the folk-rock groups to come out of England in the 1970s, mostly because they didn't confine their musical genre-melding to folk-rock. Spawned at the Royal College of Music, they started out making a name for themselves in folk-rock, but their classical training and their approach to composition, recording, and performance soon took them into the much bigger field of progressive rock, and eventually had them playing gigs in front of arena-size audiences. Gryphon followed up this first release with Gryphon to Red Queen Three and Midnight Mushrumps, which are both available on the Talking Elephant label. As their reputation grew so did the sales and they became one of the foremost bands in the early to mid seventies in the cult area of medieval folk-rock. With the classical and progressive influences in their music along with the folk structure Gryphon appeal to a wide range of audience. This first album has not been available for nearly ten years and will be sought after by many fans across the musical spectrum.

(talkingelephant.co.uk)

The ferociously talented Claire Hamill charmed her way onto Island Records, although initially label head Chris Blackwell was a bit put off by her tender age. But the 16-year-old with the crystalline voice and powerful pen was determined, Blackwell relented and ended up co-producing her 1971 debut album alongside her manager John McCoy. The bulk of the ten-song set was composed by either Hamill herself or co-written with her then boyfriend Mike Coles. Invariably romantic themes predominated, so did songs about growing up, as did thoughtful, introspective numbers, with a pair showcasing the artist's youthful sense of fun. But how to market this ferocious talent? As a singer/songwriter? as a folkie? or as a soft-rocker? McCoy and Blackwell never did decide and brought in a group of top-notch musicians to create a set that encompassed all angles. The cutesy "Baseball Blues" that opened the One House Left Standing set Hamill up as the British Melanie; oddly, though, it wasn't chosen as the single, instead Blackwell opted for the searching "When I Was a Child." The powerful "Alice in the Streets of Darlington" featured on the flipside, and is one of two bonus tracks included on the Esoteric reissue. Neither were particularly representative of the album, which leaned in a somewhat folkier direction. The comic book horror of "Flowers for Grandma" is presented as a medieval ballad, the affecting "The Man Who Cannot See Tomorrows Sunshine" is more pastoral, "Consummation" features a lovely Western tinge, while "Smile Your Blues Away" dances into a banjo-led, knees-up hoedown. But musically, the album's sole cover, Joni Mitchell's "Urge for Going," is the most astonishing, an epic seven-minute track that slides from folk into psychedelia and out into prog. There are also more lavish numbers, lush with strings and classical piano. The entire set is carefully crafted, deftly arranged, and beautifully played, while Hamill shines throughout. The only complaint one can make is that she tries too much. Intent on perfectly hitting every note, concentrating on her emotive vibrato, working hard on her enunciation, Hamill never relaxes a muscle, giving the entire set a rather brittle and forced feel. The difference is crystal clear when you hear her electric performance on the reissue's other bonus track, "Meet Me on the Corner," where she let down her hair with Stealers Wheel. Now if only she could have brought that sense of excitement to the actual album. Notwithstanding, this is a phenomenal set beautifully showcasing one of Britain's most astonishing talents.

(by Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide)

Dass ein tragisches Leben eine triumphale Kunst hervorbringen kann und die Schönheit oft aus den hässlichsten Ecken des Lebens kommt, kann man natürlich nicht nur am Beispiel Hank Williams zeigen. Judee Sill, 1944 in Studio City/Los Angeles geboren, wurde nach dem frühen Tod ihres Vaters als Teenager von ihrem Stiefvater missbraucht, rebellierte gegen das Elternhaus, landete in der Besserungsanstalt, wo die die Kirchenorgel spielte, überfiel mit einer Affäre Schnapsläden und Tankstellen, verfiel LSD und Heroin, ging anschaffen und schlitterte von einer unheilvollen Beziehung in die nächste.

Sie schrieb aber auch einige der betörendsten und komplexesten Lieder der goldenen Songwriter-Ära. Ihr Debüt war 1971 eine der ersten Veröffentlichungen auf David Geffens neu gegründetem Label Asylum. Es war kein großer Erfolg. Aber die im letzten Moment noch auf dem Album platzierte, von Graham Nash produzierte Single „Jesus Was A Crossmaker“, die sie – inspiriert von Nikos Kanzantzakis Roman „The Last Temptation of Christ“ –, nach dem dramatischen Ende einer Affäre mit dem Songwriter J.D. Souther schrieb, wurde ein kleiner Radiohit und im Jahr darauf von den Hollies und Cass Elliott gecovert. Das brachte ihr immerhin eine Titelgeschichte im ROLLING STONE, die sich nicht wie das Porträt einer aufstrebenden Künstlerin, sondern eher wie die Westküsten-Version von Hubert Selbys „Last Exit To Brooklyn“ liest.

Der Nachfolger, den sie, wie schon den Großteil ihres Debüts, mit Joni Mitchells Toningenieur Henry Lewy aufnahm, sollte den kommerziellen Durchbruch bringen. Nicht mit Hitsingles, sondern mit purem Genie. Das Eröffnungsstück, „There's a Rugged Road“, klingt mit Fiddle und Pedal Steel noch wie eine clevere Country-Nummer, doch bereits mit „The Kiss“ – laut XTCs Andy Partridge der schönste Song, der je geschrieben wurde – hebt „Heart Food“ in Dimensionen ab, zu denen nur sehr wenige Songwriter:innen überhaupt einen Zugang haben (Brian Wilson vielleicht, bevor er Ende der Sechziger den Schlüssel verlor).

In „Heart Food“ stecken Folk und Gospel, Choräle und Fugen, Copland und Bach, Entrückung und Erlösung. „Songs from so deep/ While I'm sleepin', seep in/ Sweepin' over me/ Still the echo's achin'‘/ ,Leave us not forsaken‘“, barmt Sill im achtminütigen Schlussstück „The Donor“ und singt auf Dutzenden von Spuren das „Kyrie Eleison“.

Doch die Welt kannte kein Erbarmen – „Heart Food“ wurde wiederum kein Erfolg. Sill war frustiert, wollte nicht länger im Vorprogramm von „snotty rock bands“ auftreten und gab Labelchef Geffen, dem sie auf ihrem Debüt noch ihre Liebe gestanden hatte, die Schuld an allem. Ende 1973 wurde Sill mit einem Volkswagen, den sie sich von ihrem Ex-Lover Souther geliehen hatte, in einen Unfall verwickelt. Angeblich wurde sie von dem Schauspieler Danny Kaye angefahren, und John Wayne soll sie ins Krankenhaus gebracht haben. Ein Jahr später wurde sie Opfer häuslicher Gewalt, ein Lover stieß sie eine Treppe hinunter und sie und musste mehrfach am Rücken operiert werden. Die starken Schmerzen versuchte sie – eine Parallele zu Hank Williams – mit Drogen zu bekämpfen. „Alles ist verloren. Keine Hilfe mehr. Vielleicht kann die heilige Judy mir helfen? Bin auch in meinen Armen fixiert worden. Bin wieder schwer im Junkie-Dasein“, schrieb sie damals in ihr Tagebuch, in dem sich auch Ideen für neue Songs fanden.

Mit dem Bassisten Bill Plummer nahm sie 1974 noch unter starken Schmerzen im Studio von Ex-Monkee Michael Nesmith acht Demos auf. In dem neuen Song „Dreams Come True“, der dem nächsten Album den Titel geben sollte, sang sie: „Every way beauty is slain, it's seen/Though no word is uttered, a grave silence rings.“ Es sollte Sills letzte Studiosession bleiben, das Projekt wurde von Asylum auf Eis gelegt (und erschien 30 Jahre später in einem Mix von Jim O’Rourke).

Am 23. November 1973, einen Tag nach Thanksgiving, wurde Sill tot in ihrer Wohnung in North Hollywood aufgefunden. In ihrem Blut fand man eine tödliche Mischung aus Kokain und Codein. Sie war 35 Jahre alt. „Once a crystal choir appeared/ While I was sleeping and called my name/ And when they came down nearer, saying, ,Dying is done‘/ Then a new song was sung until somewhere we breathed as one“, heißt es in „The Kiss“, dem schönsten Song, der je geschrieben wurde. Dass jeder, der mal in die faszinierende Welt von Judee Sill eingetaucht ist, bei Nennung ihres Namens als erstes an ihre strahlenden Lieder denkt und nicht an ihre tragische Lebensgeschichte, ist das beste Zeugnis ihres Genies.

(Maik Brüggemeier, ROLLING STONE-Wohnzimmer, Folge 42, 18.09.2023)

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The second album Judee Sill made proved to be her last. A notoriously slow songwriter, this brief though enjoyable outing took its toll on Sill during its making, turning her back to her recently kicked heroin addiction and away from the desire to create more music. Instead of using an outside arranger for the strings (as she did on her previous album), Sill did all of the work herself. Her lack of formal training and the immense amount of orchestral overdubs certainly would have made such an outing a hardship for anyone. The album doesn't suffer much from its sometimes syrupy exterior, though -- the songs are almost as strong as any of those from her debut. To wit, Heart Food suffers only in comparison to its predecessor; otherwise, it's a stellar example of the kind of singer/songwriter fare the music industry was mining in the early '70s. The supporting cast of top L.A. studio musicians solidifies Sill's unique brand country-flavored pop, which moves from introspective meanderings to loping rock, often within a single song.

(by Alex Stimmel, All Music Guide)

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Sometimes myths become reality, or apocryphal tales bear enough weight to be documented as fact. Heart Food, Judee Sill's legendary -- and up until now very rare -- second and final album, was recorded and released in 1973 by Asylum Records when she was 29; she passed away six years later. Heart Food has been equated with Laura Nyro's classic New York Tendaberry, Essra Mohawk's Primordial Lovers, and Carole King's Tapestry as being a definitive moment in the work of female singer/songwriters. Part of this myth comes out of the reality that Heart Food has not been in print in more than 20 years. Rhino Handmade has issued the album on CD, along with its predecessor, Judee Sill [Expanded], for a limited time. The original (second) album is rounded out with nine extra tracks of live and demo material, is accompanied by a handsome package, a complete liner note essay by Michele Kort, and a slew of photographs. Now that it is available again, it is easy to see how that comparison by the critical pop establishment of the day was made: it's because it is accurate.

The beautifully rough edges on Sill's debut have all been smoothed out here by an engagement with subtle yet pervasive orchestration, stellar arrangements, tightly crafted songs that open up form the inside their musical frameworks, and draw on influences as varied as Tin Pan Alley to gospel and country to Mozart and Bach. The wildest thing is that Ms. Sill was responsible for all of it. She had complete artistic control and creative freedom in the studio -- those who know David Geffen's reputation will be surprised. And the cast of players bears out the confidence in Ms. Sill's abilities: Doug Dillard, Gloria Jones, Ray Kelly, Chris Ethridge, Spooner Oldham, Buddy Emmons, Jim Gordon, and many others.

Musically, Heart Food [Expanded] is a song suite whose songs all dovetail one another in relating an ache so deep in the gray matter of the soul that it threatens to burn the listener. One listen to "Down Where The Valleys Are Low" is enough to know that the hounds of hell have left their mark on the singer: "Push me on from the danger that's pullin' me and hold me so strong/Send a song on the wind to deliver me/Take me and rise, when the fire is on/Take the reins and the loneliness fillin' me/And make my fear fuel and the fuel hi-octane...." A church organ, a xylophone, and a Steve Cropper-ish lead guitar slowly hollow out the groove that is filled by a trio of backing vocalists doo-wopping gospel underneath, as Sill sings her heart out into a void only she can see through. Elsewhere, in the honky tonk, funky gospel of "Soldier of the Heart," Sill creates the entire tune in chorus form; each line is a testament: "The battlefield's so cold/Take my love as a token/I want to give it to you...." And as the band slips deeper into the openness of the rhythm track, Sill strides forth with her vocal into the very pit of loneliness and danger, and tries not only to be delivered herself, but to carry her listeners with her. This is naked music; there is no separation between artist and audience, no separation between forces of light and dark, everything is in this glorious pop maelstrom where life and death are just two sides of the same coin, and the desire for holiness and wholeness are nearly overwhelming in their intensity. But her approach is ecstatic, the neediness is in the words, but the music is pure, expressive joy. The bonus material, a series of outtakes and demos, bear out that the process was never effortless, but came easy to one who was adept at baring her soul. Heart Food deserves its rating as a classic because it has so few peers, and as music heard thirty years after the fact, its dignity remains unblemished; its innovation and creativity are still cause for wonder and awe.

(about the Rhino-Handmade-Reissue by Thom Jurek , All Music Guide)

While this group's name is often the impetus for String Driven Thing falsely acquiring a folk-rock classification, they were in actuality a boogie and psychedelia-laced rock & roll band who happened to have electric violin as their lead instrument. In 1973, when this album was initially released, very few rock bands featured the violin as prominently as they did. Violinist Grahame Smith helped blaze the trail for fiddlers like Ric Sanders and Robbie Steinhardt to openly strut their stuff within the confines of rock & roll. This album at times showed signs of creativity, but unfortunately its inconsistency was symptomatic of String Driven Thing's career. The slow soft rock numbers are the bane of this recording, while the manic psychedelic pieces like "Sold Down the River," "Heartfeeder," and "Night Club" showed this band at its finest. Too bad the former outnumbered the latter. The 1996 reissue contains three bonus tracks "If Only the Good," "It's a Game," and "Part of the City."

(by Dave Sleger, All Music Guide)

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Originally released in 1973 by Charisma Records, "The Machine That Cried" was String Driven Thing's third LP and was released at the time in a form which omitted ten minutes of the epic 12-minute track, "River Of Sleep". This version (released in 1996) is the first to ever reflect the band's intentions when the album was recorded.

Based around the nucleus of vocalist/rhythm guitarist/songwriter Chris Adams, his wife Pauline Adams (vocals) and Grahame Smith (violin, later with Van Def Graaf Generator and Peter Hammill), String Driven Thing's early style was likened to that of the Byrds, and early songs written by Chris Adams shows the influence of Bob Dylan, but the introduction of Grahame Smith made the group's sound unique.

Soon after recording this album in 1973, String Driven Thing were the opening act for the "Foxtrot" tour by Genesis, but they allegedly stole the tour after winning five encores at a show in the English Home Counties, which was regarded as inappropriate behaviour for a support act.

With 8-page booklet containing both contemporary and current photographs of band members, and with three bonus tracks from the same period, two never previously on CD, "The Machine Cried" features an alternate version of the still much played single from the 1970s, "It's A Game".
British national daily "The Gaurdian" called this LP "a staggering achievement" in 1973, and "MOJO" magazine in 1996 described it as "a much hailed album".

This is one of the great McCoy Tyner recordings. The powerful, percussive, and highly influential pianist sounds quite inspired throughout his appearance at the 1973 Montreux Jazz Festival. Azar Lawrence (on tenor and soprano) is also quite noteworthy and there is plenty of interplay with bassist Juney Booth and drummer Alphonse Mouzon. But Tyner is the main star, whether it be on his three-part "Enlightenment Suite," "Presence," "Nebula," or the 25-minute "Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit."

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

Mit den Texten auf Englisch und Portugiesisch. Zehn Jahre, nachdem das Debüt von Marcos Valle („Samba Demais") Liebhaber brasilianischer Musik mit dem unglaublichen Talent der Valle-Brüder bekannt machte, half eine neue Richtung und eine neue Backing Band dem Sänger dabei, seine musikalische Palette auszuweiten.

Groovy Funk und Jazz-Fusion, die Hilfe der Band Azimuth (später Azymuth), Synthies, Fender Rhodes und elektronische Sounds ließen den Samba, Bossa Nova und Baiao von Valle zusammen mit der Inspiration aus schwarzer amerikanischer Musik und dem Psych Rock früherer Alben neue Dimensionen erschließen. Obwohl sich Valle nicht komplett vom Sound seiner Vergangenheit entfernte, bringen der Gesang, die Grooves und die tiefgründigen Songs auf „Previsao Do Tempo" den Hörer dazu, sich frei zu fühlen und nachzudenken.

„Previsao Do Tempo" erschien ursprünglich 1973 und mauserte sich schnell zum Liebling der Valle-Jünger. Neue und alte Fans werden den einfachen Zugang zu diesem ehemals kaum zu findenden brasilianischen Klassiker lieben.

„Previsao Do Tempo" ist ein Highlight in der Valle-Diskographie und ein willkommener Neuzugang in jeder südamerikanisch angehauchten Plattensammlung. File after Os Mutantes and before Caetano Veloso.

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While Garra had seen all of Marcos Valle's talented parts -- songwriting, production, singing, and performing -- coalesce into the most beautiful whole ever seen in Brazilian music, Previsão do Tempo represented a slight pulling back from those lofty heights. Easygoing and relaxed where Garra had been nearly giddy with joy, the album still didn't lack for career-topping moments -- most of them due to the sunny groove produced by Valle with his backing band (soon to break away and form the boundary-pushing Azymuth). With Valle on Fender Rhodes and Jose Roberto Bertrami on Mini-Moog and ARP, the album is more electronic than electric, but with soloists as talented as these, and a lifetime of musical instincts to draw on, the results are absolutely pristine. (Only Stevie Wonder was capable of coaxing the same type of warm, fluid grooves from his coterie of synthesizers, and integrating them so flawlessly into his productions.) As could be expected, narrative songwriting takes a backseat. In its place are loose, aqueous, funk-filled jams with synth and electric bass leading the way. Garra is still the peak of Marcos Valle's '70s output, but Previsão do Tempo is its own masterpiece, one where a listener plays connect-the-dots to hear the beauty inside.

(by John Bush, All Music Guide)

After Lou Reed left the Velvet Underground, bassist Doug Yule took control of the group. Retaining the name "The Velvet Underground," Yule assembled several new lineups of the band and toured the U.S. By the time Yule's VU recorded their first album, the band featured Boston-based vocalist Willie Alexander and was playing a set of conventional pop/rock songs. Squeeze, the only album recorded with a bastardized version of the Velvet Underground, was released in 1973 to uniformly terrible reviews; Yule broke up the band shortly after its release. Over the years, Squeeze has not only become increasingly rare -- after all, not many copies of the record were pressed -- it has disappeared from the official Velvet Underground discography, and Yule's attempt to prolong the band's career has virtually been forgotten.

(by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide)

Background

By 1972, the Velvet Underground had established a considerable cult following. Their post-Reed years have since been derided by some purists, but the surviving reviews of the era are among the best the band ever received. There are sadly few live recordings from late '70 to '73 known to exist, but the ones that do (including, happily the final VU show) reveal a tight, inventive and haunting band. They added a distinctly prog touch to 'Oh! Sweet Nuthin' for instance; and while their new material sounded influenced by the Beatles and country-rock, it had the distinct Velvet Underground edge. Steve Sesnick, the ill-regarded manager of the band beginning in '67, made his final move with the arrangement of "Squeeze". The album would be recorded with Yule and Ian Paice of Deep Purple, that was how it came down, it was not Yule's decision to exclude anyone else in the band. It effectively ended Maureen Tucker's membership however and is still a highly contentious move. Yule still regrets it to this day, although by all accounts Maureen was planning to leave the band anyway to take care of her child full time. She has expressed no bitterness over the split. Whether or not her absence from the sessions hurts the music is debatable. The new directions may not have been too suitable for her minimalist style; Ian Paice, on the other hand, is a master of rock and prog drumming. He sounds absolutely restrained compared to his Mark 2 and beyond Purple work, but not relaxed. There's an uncharacteristic nervousness to his drumming on "Squeeze" which compliments Yule very well. There was no intention for Paice to stay with the VU, he was only in the band for these sessions. He never played a gig with the VU. "Squeeze" was slated for a fall '72 UK release on their own Loaded Records imprint, distributed by Polydor. A new lineup was assembled for a UK tour to coincide with the release of the album and negotiations were underway for US distribution.

Sessions

Little is known about the "Squeeze" sessions, held in the summer of '72 in London and under a considerably tight budget (maybe where the title comes in). Yule has been rarely interviewed (see links) but has never mentioned any musician other than Paice. But as mentioned previously, there is that unidentified female vocalist, who is quite impressive. (Some sources claim her to be his wife, or at the very least, his girlfriend at the time.) There were no specific liner notes. In a recent interview Paice said that he may not be the only drummer on "Squeeze", but without session documentation we can't verify anything. What is known is that Doug Yule played the bulk of the music himself; these were challenging, but fun sessions for the artist. The criticism usually lobbed at "Squeeze" is that it could have been a Doug Yule solo album, not the music. AND...as for the claim that "Squeeze" has only been issued once, there appears to be some debate there. A few dozen people claim to have French copies dating from the '80's, and this now does appear to be true. There is a definite possibility that certain unscrupulous record companies reissued the record, either illegally or claiming squatters rights in territories with less stringent copyright laws. Not only is this scenario possible, it is also likely. Today there is no hard evidence who owns the rights to the masters. If Polygram reissued the album 20 years ago, who had the rights then?

www.bobchaos.com

The late Larry Young was an organist whose fairly brief career had lots of highs and very few middles or lows. Take this session from 1973 — his first non-Blue Note date as a leader and post-Lifetime — as a for instance. It is startling for its fresh look at how the organ is used in jazz and in improvisation, period. On Lawrence of Newark, Young enlisted a host of younger New York session cats who were hanging around the fringes of the funk and avant-garde scenes — James Blood Ulmer, trumpeter Charles MacGee, Cedric Lawson, and about a dozen others all jumped into Young's dark and freaky musical stew. Made up of only five tracks, rhythm is the hallmark of the date as evidenced by the conga and contrabass intro to "Sunshine Fly Away." Deirdre Johnson's cello opens up a droning modal line for Young to slide his organ over in what passes for a melody but is more of an idea for a theme and a trio of variations. Armen Halburian's congas echo the accents at the end of the drum kit and Young's own tapering pronouncements moving back and forth between two and four chords with a host of improvisers inducing a transcendent harmonic hypnosis. The centerpiece of the album is "Khalid of Space Pt. 2: Welcome." Sun Ra's edict about all of his musicians being percussionists holds almost literally true in Young's case. The soprano saxophonist sounds as if it could be Sonny Fortune (billed as "mystery guest"), but he's way out on an Eastern modal limb. Young's right hand is punching home the counterpoint rhythm as Abdul Shadi runs all over his kit. Blood Ulmer is accenting the end of each line with overdriven power chords, and various bells, drums, congas, and djembes enter and depart the mix mysteriously. Young is digging deep into the minor and open drone chords, signaling — à la Miles — changes in intonation, tempo, and frequency of rhythmic attack. And the cut never loses its pocket funk for all that improvisation. It's steamy, dark, brooding, and saturated with groove. The CD reissue has fine sound and sells for a budget price; it should not be overlooked. The DJs just haven't discovered this one yet. Awesome.

(by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)