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Black Dub- self titled

November 10, 2016

The band that Daniel Lanois put together with Trixie Whitley showcases her voice and multi-instrumental talent. It may now be out of print on vinyl as a U.S. pressing  but sealed copies are still floating around online. Well worth the price of admission. Who said there is no good ‘new’ music? Three sides of vinyl bliss- “I Believe in You,” “Last Time” and “Silverado” are all catchy, kick-ass tunes that combine Trixie’s marvelous voice with a driving rhythm section- the ever versatile Brian Blade on drums, solid production values... Read More

Filed Under: Records

Patto- “Hold Your Fire” Vertigo Swirl

November 10, 2016

I promised a review of this album even though I’m tempting you with an expensive record that has no easy, cheap substitute, like the band’s first, self-titled album on Vertigo. Unlike their first album, the U.S. Vertigo pressing of “Hold Your Fire” doesn’t come close to the sound of the UK pressing, which is unfortunate, as is the fact that there do not appear to be as many contemporaneous ex-UK pressings, which are often a cheaper alternative in Vertigo-land. Given the substantial difference in price, the U.S. pressing may be acceptable even though the U.S.... Read More

Filed Under: Records

Gracious! -self titled Vertigo Swirl

November 10, 2016

If you haven’t heard of this band, or this record, don’t feel bad. The best way I could describe it is early ELP meets King Crimson on the way to new age: tuneful pop, heavy on the keyboards and extremely high production values. This is apparently one of those records that was done with little overdubbing, and does have all the earmarks of what we now think of as “progressive” rock- elaborate, big, complex, Mellotron-infused,  classical music styled-soundscapes that morph into pop riffs, and merge back into larger motifs. It’s also not one of the cheaper... Read More

Filed Under: Records

Affinity- self titled Vertigo Swirl

November 10, 2016

I knew that this album, and Linda Hoyle’s later solo album on Vertigo, “Pieces of Me” were highly regarded. I did not know that the self-titled Affinity album would be so eclectic- ranging from a jazzy, almost Brazilian-influenced “lounge” act, to atonal vocal parts back by “prog” rock, to ballsy rock reminiscent of Grace Slick, with horns and a big Hammond B-3 organ sound. Hoyle has a great voice- and the diversity of styles of music allows her to shine. The album is a little uneven but overall, it’s compelling enough to make me go back to... Read More

Filed Under: Records

Patto- self-titled-Vertigo Swirl

November 10, 2016

This band was never on my radar until I started to dig into the Vertigo Swirl catalog. They recorded two albums on Vertigo, both of which were produced by Muff Winwood. The first, self-titled album is a strong rocker with a front and center vocalist, Mike Patto, and stunning guitar work by Ollie Halsall, who brought a vibraphonist’s touch and sensibility to his stringed instrument playing. The tracks don’t necessarily light up listening to them over a digital stream but the vinyl can be marvelous. And, there is a relative bargain to be had here. Unlike many of the Vertigo Swirls... Read More

Filed Under: Records

May Blitz-self titled Vertigo Swirl

November 10, 2016

I’m going to bite the bullet here and suggest that there are few records that can put a guitar power trio into the room with the immediacy of the second track on side one, entitled “I Don’t Know.” This was power rock at its best, and the guitar work is only part of the story; the band was held together by Tony Newman, a well-known drummer who went on to work with Jeff Beck and a long list of name-brand talent. I think the original UK Vertigo is the one to buy, and you may find one on the cheaper side of expensive if you are willing to suffer a tatty cover, a missing... Read More

Filed Under: Records

Cressida- self titled Vertigo Swirl

November 10, 2016

I never thought of myself as a fan of “progressive” music, although I certainly listened to some of the bands (Crimson, Tull and early ELP, along with YES and a few others, back in the day) . More than 40 years later, the concept seems dated, and the term seems to apply to a range of music that didn’t fit neatly into one easy to define genre. At its best, it reflected music that followed an almost “classical” form, but drew from jazz, pop and more contemporary influences, including the use of Mellotron, synthesizers and other keyboard instruments, along with... Read More

Filed Under: Records

Forgotten and Worth Finding

November 10, 2016

__________________________________ SPIRIT TWELVE DREAMS OF DR. SARDONICUS, Epic E 30267 or KE 30267  (yellow or orange ‘target’ label) A time capsule of brilliant psychedelia, short tuneful tracks, including “Nature’s Way” and “StreetWorm” featuring Randy California. California, so nicknamed by Jimi Hendrix, was invited by Hendrix to travel to England to start a new band. Randy’s mom nixed that plan (Randy was only 15 at the time). Hendrix formed the Experience, and the rest is history. California formed Spirit with his stepfather, Ed... Read More

Filed Under: Records

Amina Claudia Meyers, Salutes Bessie Smith

February 16, 2019

When I heard this record by jazz pianist, composer and singer Amina Claudine Meyers on the radio back in the early 80’s in NY,  I wrote down the title and went to Tower Records on Broadway and bought it.  It is not something I play often but I do come back to it when I want to hear what a real piano sounds like. The record has a spare, underproduced quality, Ms. Meyers can wail with the best of them, but her piano work is superb; she captures a sort of forgotten sound- of a big instrument being played at full tilt with majesty and power, but singing in a mournful voice. The vocals... Read More

Filed Under: Records

Taste, On the Boards

November 10, 2016

Rory Gallagher is another legendary guitarist whose playing is recognized not just for his skill, but for his ability to play inside of the song: – no boring, self- indulgent solos, or mind-bending exercises of guitar wizardry, this guy was musical! The album, from his band Taste, captures one of many high points in Gallagher’s career. Songs range from beefy rockers, like “What’s Going On” to lilting folk ballads (“If the Day Was Any Longer”). The tunes stay with you; the musicianship is something you can go back to again and again and hear... Read More

Filed Under: Records

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In Brief:

Airtight Supreme v Monster Alpha Genesis 1000 (WuT?) Or the Path to Older Phono Cartridges….

Airtight Supreme v Monster Alpha Genesis 1000 (WuT?) Or the Path to Older Phono Cartridges…. I know, this seems like a stupid comparison, but bear with me. My Airtight Supreme phono cartridge is aging and I'm looking to replace it.  The price of the top tier cartridges, like Airgtight’s Opus, their current flagship, is just prohibitive when you consider that it is a consumable. Much as I’ve winced at cartridge pricing in the past, I’ve just bitten the bullet—when I upgraded from my original Airtight PC-1 to the Supreme some years ago, the improvement was considerable. And, like NOS tubes, and early sought- after pressings of some LPs, that’s the market for high end phono cartridges these days. (I’m not going to engage in class warfare here, or suggest that the mark up is hideous, though I know in the case of phono cartridges from Japan, they must pass through a few hands … [Read More...]

The Analog Relax Record Brush

The Analog Relax Record Brush I have had an unhappy relationship with “dry” record brushes over the many years I used them. Such brushes don’t seem to do an effective job of removing surface detritus and despite the “anti-static” moniker applied to some, I have found that dry brushing can generate, rather than mitigate, a static charge. Some also shed fibers. As explained below, I eventually abandoned dry brushing altogether, instead using an “air puffer” to address any surface lint that was introduced after the records had been thoroughly cleaned using a combination of wet cleaning, vacuum and ultrasonic record cleaning.  Background I cannot remember my first brush, but over the years, I’ve used the Decca (which has been copied many times with less success) and its clones, the Hunt (which consists of a plush pad between two brushes) and various other … [Read More...]

Good Things Come in Big Packages- Sammy Miller and the Congregation

Good Things Come in Big Packages- Sammy Miller and the Congregation Big band style jazz probably reached its peak in popularity before WWII.[1]Sammy Miller and the Congregation aim to bring it back, with a few surprises, a laugh and an impressive, tuneful display of musicianship. If Sammy & Company prove anything, it’s that what we think of as “big band” music is an archetype and does not represent the music itself: vibrant, full of soul, life, blues and joy, with lots of space between the different instruments, offering an interplay of sounds that are immensely satisfying. I used to catch myself sitting in Broadway shows in New York back in the day (my wife worked for a number of noted producers on Broadway), hearing all those seasoned players in the pit, just wishing they could let go and rock, rather than stick to the often schmaltzy “show tune” music to which they were … [Read More...]

A History of Ultrasonic Record Cleaning

A History of Ultrasonic Record Cleaning   Despite the attention paid to ultrasonic record cleaning in the last few years, including the various DIY efforts that have broadened its appeal due to lower cost (as well as providing a more flexible feature set than some of the commercial entries), little has been said about the history of ultrasonic cleaning for records. Mike Bodell changes that with a paper entitled  “The Curious Case Of Record Cleaning In The Quest For Sonic Perfection” which is being published here for the first time. Mike, who has both a science and business background, came to the subject with an open mind, a curiosity borne out of strong interest (including self-interest: he wanted clean records) and a technical background that caused him to dig deep. “The Curious Case…” is a fascinating read on several fronts: first, we learn that there were early efforts to … [Read More...]

Comus: First Utterance- Part II: Interview with Members of Comus About the Album

Comus: First Utterance- Part II: Interview with Members of Comus About the Album   Following the publication here last week of Comus- First Utterance (consisting of an overview of the LP, its reissue and legacy), An Interview with Members of Comus has now been published. It is integrated into the first article as Part II and can be accessed directly (if you already read Part I and want to go directly to the interview(s)) by clicking on the hyperlinked text in the preceding sentence.  The interview is really a series of viewpoints from different band members and, like the album itself, offers some starkly different perspectives that ultimately cohere into a larger narrative; about the band, the making of the record and the creators’ individual views of its importance, then and now. This is a fascinating look behind a recording that stands as a milestone in the recorded … [Read More...]

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