More new stuff:
LP's:
Tear Gas _Piggy Go Getter_
I have seen this group billed as a heavyweight prog act from
Scotland.  This album is not that.  They're definitely
Scottish, but the music is just plain old mediocre hard rock. 
On the Paramount label, which I never heard of.  Hilarious
cartoon on the inside of the gatefold, complete with an
attempt to transcribe a HEAVY Scottish accent.
Oregon _Distant Hills_
First time I  listened to this, I managed to listen to the
ENTIRE FUCKING ALBUM at 45.  It sounds much better
at 33.  There it is, folks, Oregon's _Distant Hills_:  It
sounds better at 33 than 45.  You read it here first.  Pretty
good jazz with some rock influences, but not all gnarly like
Maha and RTF at their best.  Fairly acoustic.  I haven't
heard this much yet, but it warrants futher atenshin.
The Pretty Things _Real Pretty_
Apparently a 2 LP comp of their 2 famous albums, _SF
Sorrow_ and _Parachute_.  I say "apparently" because the
album never actually says so in so many words.  The liner
notes talk about those albums (and no others), without
specifying that is what is contained on the vinyl, and the
outside of the album cover never even mentions the original
album titles.  Had never heard anything by them, except for
"SF Sorrow is Born" and "Private Sorrow/Balloon Burning",
the song that made me go find this album.  _SF Sorrow_ is
generally considered the first concept album, although the
liner notes mention Tom Rush _Circle Game_ as preceding
it (no, *I* never heard of that one either).  I think this is
right up your alley, Clark.  In the _Mr. Fantasy_, _Shazam_,
early Status Quo, _Ogden's Nut GF_, classic English psych
feel.  Produced by Norman Smith of Pink Floyd fame. 
Note:I actually saw a Norman Smith album last week,
complete with the hit "What Would You Say", a ghastly
falsetto abortion of a song.  He went by the name Al
"Hurricane" Smith during his recording career.  Don't try
this at home.  
Jean-Luc Ponty _Live_
This one isn't on CD, for some reason.  I consider it the
height of his 70's fusion work.  It's got excerpts from the
title suites from _Imaginary Voyage_ and _Aurora_ and
some other stuff.  One of my favorite fusion albums, the
first (sorta) jazz album I ever bought, and the first totally
instrumental album I ever bought.  I found copies of this at
every used record store I checked in Sacramento.  Well
worth the 3-5 bucks they all wanted.
Singles:
ABWH "Brother of Mine"
(The Yes minus Squire group.)  The cover says it's backed
with "Vultures" which isn't on the album, but the sticker
says it's a promo with "Brother" on both sides.  Either way,
I just bought it for the cool Dean slipcover artwork (an
eagle in a flooded Grand Canyon-type scene).
Apollo "Joy 100"
Backed with - who cares? I hadn't heard this in years, and
wondered if it was really as good as I remembered.  It is. 
What a masterpiece.  It's one of those perfect little "pocket"
instrumentals, like "Classical Gas", "Pollen" by Pulsar, and a
million others I could name.  I don't normally go in for rock
versions of classical stuff, but this is one of the best ever. 
It's taken from Bach's "Jesu-Joy of Man's Desiring" (same as
the 2nd half of The Move's "Cherry Blossom Clinic
Revisited", another classic  rendition, though
COMPLETELY different).  A gorgeous song.  Too bad the
rest of the album (which I used to own) wasn't as good.
CD's:
Elvin Jones Jazz Machine _Live in Japan_
Still can't find _Live in Europe_.  This is much more jazz
than fusion, so it'll probably take me a while to assimilate. 
Even *I* can't bitch about the drum solos this time...
Eskaton _4 Visions_
A great album.  Closer to Magma than other non-Magma
Zeuhl I've heard.  I seem to like Magma less than other
Zeuhl bands, so I guess my best shot at liking Magma is
probably to increase my familiarity with Zeuhl in general.  I
have no idea why I like this better (and quicker) than
_Live/Hhai_.   Lots of weird vocals (2 female vocalists), the
usual ferocious, nasty, brain-damaged bass (one of the
strong points of Zeuhl in general), and overall great
musicianship and songwriting.  Track 3 has an incredible
workout by the band.  Pretty weird shit, nonetheless.  A
definite room clearer.
Agitation Free _Last_
Considered one of the giants of Krautrock.  One short song
and 2 long ones.  Some silly 70's noise and some great
jamming.  Has that late-night downside of the trip feel that
pervades Amon Duul's best work, and _Gila_.  Like a lot of
Krautrock, really the antithesis of stereotypical prog.  More
post-psych music than "sounds like those English bands"
prog.  Some really great psych guitar.
Maneige _Libre Service - Self Service_
French-Canadian prog.  Haven't choked this one down yet. 
I hear things I like and things I don't.  Sounds like prog...
Jeff Beck _Blow by Blow_
Kinda what I remembered.  Some dull parts, some great
parts.  I'll have to make an effort not to lose this one in the
shuffle.  Early Beck fusion, before Jan Hammer showed up. 
Several songs ended up on _Live with Jan Hammer_, my
favorite Beck album.  I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you
kill me? Oops, wrong Beck.
13th Floor Elevators _Easter Everywhere_
This and the JB CD were heavily discounted imports.  I
remember this as top-notch psychedelia (from TEXAS?!?!?)
somewhat marred by some idiot playing jug - and playing
the EXACT SAME RIFF throughout the entire album.
I have a really cool quote in my tagline file that I'm going
to stick in right here:
Who's the head of this band?
 - Dick Clark to the 13th Floor Elevators
We're all heads.
 - Roky Erikson to Dick Clark
from an appearance on American Bandstand(!)
Apparently Mr. Erikson was a bit on the wacky side, and is considered very 
unstable.  I have a solo thing by him that isn't really my sort of thing, but 
he's pretty amazing.  It's straight-ahead jams, bar boogie with psycho 
lyrics.
Reale Accademia di Musica s/t
By Italian prog standards, not the one of the greats, but still
pretty good by almost any other rock standard.  Kinda like
Murple or EA Poe.  Not as complex and athletic as the
greats, not quite as much emotional intensity, but well worth
hearing.  There's some respectable jamming, too.  I wouldn't
suggest anyone buy this as their first Italian prog album, but
serious junkies will probably like it.
Stuart
tagline:  see above
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 * PW * 
--- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 
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