Life is all dynamics (Devin Townsend) (LP 4696 - 4699)

Devin Townsend  Infinity (CD, From Keegan, 1998) *** 

Devin Townsend  Ziltoid the Omniscient (CD, InsideOut, 2007) ****   

Devin Townsend Project  Ki (CD, From Keegan, 2009) **** 

Devin Townsend Project  Ghost (CD, From Keegan, 2011) *** 

Genre: Heavy metal, prog metal, dream pop 

Places I remember: Three from Keegan and Ziltoid from Real Groovy Records.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Hyperdrive (Ziltoid)

Gear costume: By Your Command (Ziltoid), Disruptr (Ki)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Keegan is a fan of Canadian musician Devin Townsend, so he gave me three of his albums as CD-Rs.

Affinity was Devin's third solo album (he's very prolific) which came after a stay in a mental health facility where he was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. That explains how all four of these albums are so different in approach - from shredding heavy metal to prog to comedy/satire to dream pop.

Affinity has dated a little in its approach, in that its guitar shredding dynamics haven't lasted as well into the 2020s.  

His concept album, Ziltoid the Omniscient, impressed me enough for me to buy my own copy. I'm a big fan of Captain Kremmen of the Star Corps - an invention of DJ Kenny Everitt, and Zappa's shaggy dog stories (Apostrophe, Billy The Mountain). Ziltoid reminds me a lot of that pastiche approach. Ziltoid travels to Earth in search of the universe's ultimate cup of coffee, which he fails to do so invades Earth. Of course.

The album is pretty much a solo one with everything played by Devin Townsend. He's a talented guy. As AllMusic says: Townsend's work is consistently excellent, but here he fully taps his mad genius for an incredibly compelling experience. All of Townsend's signatures -- bright melodies, heavy guitars, complex composition, clear production, and tongue-in-cheek grandeur.

Ki is the first album from Devin Townsend Project and a change in style from previous releases as it encompasses more ambient rock music along with bursts of heavy metal. It dispenses with the busy in yer face loud approach of the past and has a more restrained, fluid sound. I like it a lot!

Ghost is another departure that builds on Ki. It takes us into a mellow dream pop land. The title Ghost is very appropriate as acoustic guitar, flutes and synths provide a lovely bed for DT's quiet is the new loud vocals. 

Where do they all belong? The wacky wonderful world of Devin Townsend - thanks for the introduction Keegan.

Pick myself up (Peter Tosh) (LP 4695)

Peter Tosh  Bush Doctor (Vinyl, Rolling Stones Records, 1978) ***  

Genre: Reggae

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back

Gear costume: Bush Doctor

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: I don't have much of a frame of reference for Peter Tosh, but this commercially minded album feels and sounds like reggae lite to me. Which is amazing given the appearance of the Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare rhythm section.

This was Tosh's third album after he left The Wailers, and has a Rolling Stones connection - which formed part of the appeal for me. The Glimmer Twins produce, it's on Rolling Stone Records, Mick sings on the hit single and Keef even plays guitar on two tracks. 

I'm not a fan of synths and they intrude on a few tracks without much purpose. The songs aren't particularly memorable either, apart from (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back. All up, it's a missed opportunity.

Where do they all belong? Sticking with Sly and Robbie, Bob Marley, The Heptones, Toots, Third World et al, rather than trying more Peter Tosh solo albums.

Hush (Tool) (LP 4690 - 4694)

Tool  Opiate (CD, Zoo Entertainment, 1992) ***  

Tool  Undertow (CD, Zoo Entertainment, 1993) ****  

Tool  Ænima (CD, Zoo Entertainment, 1996) ***  

Tool  Lateralus (CD, Volcano Records, 2001) ****  

Tool  10,000 Days (CD, Volcano Records, 2006) ****  

Genre: Prog metal, heavy metal

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi, HMV, Fives

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Schism (Lateralus)

Gear costume: Sober (Undertow), The Pot (10,000 Days)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Tool began with the Opiate EP in 1992 before their first full album, Undertow. At this point Tool were Maynard James Keenan – vocals, Adam Jones – guitar, Paul D'Amour – bass (he would leave after Undertow), and Danny Carey – drums. Keenan's vocals are a strength and they immediately identify the band.

I've included it on this post because as AllMusic points out, 'it's possible to hear the seeds of Tool's oppressively bleak, cerebral metal' over the course of the 6 tracks (plus one hidden after Opiate).

Incidentally, I fail to see the point of the 'hidden track' concept generally. To my mind, if it's good enough then it should be included as a proper track, not hidden a few minutes after the last song ends. Thankfully, the practice seems to have died away with the resurrection of the vinyl industry. Good job!

Although it wasn't grunge, Undertow was a standout album in the grunge era (early nineties) with its sludgy heavy bass/drum sound. Keenan's assured vocals are a continued highlight and the whole band perform as a solid unit. 

Critic, David Browne summed up their other strengths:  Tool can crunch and lumber about with the best of them. What put this L.A. band a notch above the rest are better songs (with actual verses, choruses, and hooks-check out the terrific "Prison Sex") and the hints of vulnerability in singer Maynard James Keenan's voice'.

Ænima was an extension of Undertow, with a more experimental mindset. There are more exotic sounds and more alt metal sounds than on the debut - which, overall, I prefer to Ænima, although I do like that they are moving into a more progressive stance on Ænima. Ultimately, I find it an inconsistent album with some of the ambient metal noises a bit annoying.

Their third album was Lateralus, which came five years after Ænima  because of a legal dispute. It's more focused than album number two, with the band perfecting their signature throbbing, pulsing, bludgeoning metal sound. However, it's 10,000 Days that I like more.

For me, the more ambient tracks work better than on previous albums and it has a more melodic metal approach while still being recognisable Tool. The epic songs work too, each song has a prog metal approach that works.

Where do they all belong? They have produced a further album but I'll stick to these ones.

Show the world (Chapta) (LP 4684 - 4689)

Chapta  Open Door (Vinyl, HMV Records, 1972) ***  

Rob Grant  Lost at Sea (Vinyl, Decca Records, 2023) ***  

Grin  All Out (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1972) ***  

Michael Nesmith  Pretty Much your Standard Ranch Stash (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1973) *****  

The Beatles Live on Air (8CD, Bootleg, 2023) *  

The Partridge Family  Crossword Puzzle (Vinyl, Bell Records, 1973) ***  

Genre: NZ music, pop, rock, ambient piano, country rock, Beatle pop, bubblegum pop.

Places I remember: Music fair in Waipukarau (Chapta and Nesmith); JB Hi Fi (Grant), Tron Records (Grin and The Partridge Family)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Some of Shelly's Blues (Nesmith)

Gear costume: One Day at a Time (The Partridge Family)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: These albums come from a recent visit to Hamilton and a record fair which had returned to my local Central Hawke's Bay town. I was pleased to grab a couple of records for under $50, which is pretty reasonable these days.

South Island's Chapta were a presence in the early seventies in NZ. Say A Prayer was the high point from the Loxene Golden Disc of 1971. 

Peter Dawkins produces their second album - Open Door, which was untroubled by hits (unfortunately). The album is very much of its time in NZ with an eye for various markets. The band collapsed after the album with Dave Kennedy (guitar, vocals, drums) going on to form Link.

Highlights on the album are the Procol Harum sounding I Can See You/Open Door, thanks to the organ by Ledlie Cleland and the soft rock You and I.

Rob Grant is Lana Del Rey's dad and so I took a punt after reading the Pitchfork review while browsing in JB. It only cost $10 so I'm happy I shelled out. The two tracks featuring Lana's vocals are the obvious highlights, but Rob's ambient languid style on the piano instrumentals are good moody pieces. Not bad for an old salt.

That's two down, both with crappy covers. Make that three with Grin's All Out. What's that about? Don't these people want to sell records?

Grin's All Out was the band's third album. The band was centred around Nils Lofgren on guitar, plus he composed all the songs. I always had Grin down as a hard rock band but in fact Nils' predilection is more for melodic pop/rock. That said, the Crazy Horse sound is also a marker at times (Don't You Belong is a good example), and Kathi McDonald's bluesy and at times soulful vocals are a highlight on She Ain't Right. 

Michael Nesmith (no longer Mike of The Monkees) breaks the run of poor covers with this iconic portrait and the message beside the twice shy wink, 'Buy this record'. Red Rhodes is again onboard for a stellar set of songs. These include an old Monkees' obscurity - Some of Shelly's Blues. The rest of the songs are in the same brilliant league as that, with the Nez' warm country flavoured vocals making this a classic album.

The Beatles Live on Air is not to be confused with the BBC sets and is for hard core collectors only. It's a bootleg (unauthorised) collection of mostly Let It Be sessions that have appeared on various bootlegs over the years. The 8 CD set also includes snippets of Beatle interviews, the Esher demos for The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album) which are better heard on the box set reissue of that album, and a badly recorded Fabs' live show (top heavy on the bass).

Although there are duplications throughout the CDs, the good news, yes there is some, is that the LIB sessions sound good and they can replace the Beatles' bootlegs I lost in a house move a few years ago.

The Partridge Family's seventh album, Crossword Puzzle, is another classy affair that utilises the cream of LA's session musicians such as Hal Blaine (drums), Larry Carlton (guitar), Joe Osborne (bass), and Larry Knechtel (keyboards).  Those guys are great with David Cassidy's warm and smooth vocals on top. Apparently Shirley Jones is also on the album but I'm blowed if I can hear her.

There's no doubt the record company's desire to make hay while the sun shone led to an oversaturated market and some filler on the records, but Partridge Family records remain on my wants list.

Where do they all belong? Back to the T's with Tool next up.

Love is the way (Tole Puddle) (LP 4683)

Tole Puddle  In Search of a Breath of Fresh Air (Vinyl, Interfusion Records, 1976) ***  

Genre: Folk rock, NZ Music

Places I remember: Vinyl Countdown

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Diggy Liggy Lo (sadly, not on Spotify or YouTube)

Gear costume: Too Late to Cry and Trilogy are on YouTube.

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: I have very fond and vivid memories of Tole Puddle performing a lunchtime concert at Mt. Albert Grammar School around this time - 1976 was my last year at MAGS. I wonder why that is - this wasn't what I was listening to in 1976. I mean, at all. But I sat on the grass in front of the sports pavilion as they did their lively set.

The band on this album (recorded in Aussie) was set up like a NZ version of Steeleye Span, with Diane Halsey and the boys (Dave and Graham Marett, Greg Bartlett)  giving the band that lovely male/female vocal harmony. Diane's husband (or brother?) John was also a Tole Puddler on guitar and harmonica.

The music is flavoursome folk rock with the key strengths being the band connectedness and those vocal harmonies.

Where do they all belong? Their only album and something of a collector's item these days.

Country high (Ticket) (LP 4681 - 4682)

Ticket  Awake (CD, Aztec music, 1971, 2010 reissue) ****  

Ticket  Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (CD, Famous Down Under Records, 1972, ) ****  

Genre: Rock, NZ music

Places I remember: Electric City Music

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Country High (Awake)

Gear costume: Gypsy Rover (Let Sleeping Dogs Lie)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Ticket was a NZ rock band that loved bands like Traffic and The Jimi Hendrix Experience (a big influence on Eddie Hansen, guitar hero of Ticket).

These two albums are brilliant examples of NZ bands being influenced by rock gods and then channeling their influences into a uniquely NZ hybrid.

Apart from Hansen, the band included future Hello Sailor drummer Ricky Ball, and Paul Woolright on bass, and the distinctive vocals belonged to Trevor Tombleson.

Throughout both albums, Eddie plays some inspired guitar and Woolright has a great jazzy bass sound going. Country High was the big hit and is typical of their Hendrixian subject matter and spacey acid drenched music. Very much of its time! 

Where do they all belong? Eddie went on to join up with Harvey Mann in Living Force for more of the same. I don't have their album because copies change hands for silly money.

Play the harp (John Mayall) (LP 4679 - 4680)

John Mayall  Lots of People (Vinyl, ABC Records, 1977) ***  

John Mayall  No More Interviews (Vinyl, DJM Records, 1979) ****  

Genre: Blues rock 

Places I remember: The Little Red Bookshop

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Room to Move (Lots of People)

Gear costume: Play the Harp (Lots of People)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: These two albums come from a recent visit to The Little Red Bookshop in Hastings.

Lots of People is a live album, recorded at the Roxy in Los Angeles in 1977. Mayall employs a big horn contingent for this one. The highlight is still Room to Move with a new arrangement to accommodate those horns.

No More Interviews is a studio album from 1979 (in between the underwhelming Bottom Line and Road Show Blues - also on DJM Records). It's a spirited affair with Mayall trying out some new sounds that come with a commercial bent. It's a fine album to end the seventies - pity that it's not on Spotify.

Where do they all belong? I'm sure these won't be my last John Mayall albums - the man was certainly prolific.