Comrade (Volcano Choir) (LP 4794)

Volcano Choir  Repave (CD, Jagjaguwar Records, 2013) ***  

Genre: Indie rock, post rock 

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Tiderays

Gear costume: Bygone

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: This is Volcano Choir's second album. I was alerted to it by the presence of Justin Vernon (a.k.a. Bon Iver).

His presence is key for me - his vocals blend well with others and are distinctive enough on their own to add texture to the vocal arrangements. The music begins in quiet tones and often develops its dynamics along the way to create interesting and rewarding soundscapes.

This is music that you need to listen to a lot to gain the nuances. I'm still listening and still gaining insights from the process.

Where do they all belong? Well worth the journey and an interesting offshoot for Bon Iver fans.

(Kurt Vile) (LP 4793)

Kurt Vile   B'lieve I'm Goin Down... (CD, Matador Records, 2015) ****  

Genre: Indie rock

Places I remember: FOPP

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Pretty Pimpin

Gear costume: Dust Bunnies

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: This is his sixth album, bought on the strength of a review in Mojo magazine (how many times have I written that?). They said 'hypnotic and wonderful'. It's also been described by others as 'his masterpiece to date' which I'll take their word for, as it's the first (and only) Kurt Vile album to date for me.

The highlights are the opener Pretty Pimpin, Dust Bunnies (a beautifully languid song that Neil Young would love), Life Like This, That's Life Tho (with some terrific acoustic guitar).

Where do they all belong? I'm not sure why I only have one Vile album. I love this and would have bought more if I'd stayed in the UK.

Everytime (Vertical Hold) (LP 4792)

Vertical Hold  Vertical Hold (Vinyl, Wea Records, 1993) *****  

Genre: Pop 

Places I remember: Album courtesy of Noel Forth

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Everytime 

Gear costume: United States of America

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: Some records in my collection are more special than others because I have a personal connection to them. This one is a fine example of that as I have been a long-distance penpal of drummer Noel Forth since the mid-seventies. Noel is an archetypal Aussie battler and I have a lot of love for him and his family.

Noel wrote to me after I had a letter, about John Lennon's first few albums, published in Sounds magazine in about 1975. At that point he'd only just left NZ to return to Adelaide, so we've never met but he remains the single biggest help to me in collecting Beatles and Apple Records. His knowledge is prodigious and so is his generosity. He's also a cracking drummer!

In those late seventies years he would often mail cassettes to me with Tortis outtakes. Vertical Hold grew out of Tortis (the full history of the band is here). I developed a love for the band, yes because of Noel, but also because they were a fantastic pop band whose influences were obvious.

That would be Beatles principally (check out Everytime on this, their debut and only album), but also The Move, The Hollies, Electric Light Orchestra and others. 

It's a strong album that displays their strengths but it would have been even stronger with the inclusion of their poppy singles from around this time (reviewed here). Tears of Emotion in particular is a world beater. I get why they didn't include them, but still. Regardless, this is a five-star album all the way!

It remains a slight tragedy that they didn't go on to make a second album. Mick and Jim (especially Mick, RIP) were prolific hit single makers. It wasn't to be, but this album stands as a great reminder of their collective talent. Love you, Noel!

Where do they all belong? This is a band ripe for rediscovery and a compilation album that includes the singles and outtakes would be great too. 

Say what! (Stevie Ray Vaughan) (LP 4788 - 4791)

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble  Soul to Soul (CD, Epic Records, 1985) ****  

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble  In Step (CD, Epic Records, 1989) ***** 

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble  The Sky Is Crying (CD, Epic Records, 1991) *** 

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble  Spectrum, Philadelphia 23rd May 1988 (CD, Echoes Records, 2015) ****

Genre: Blues rock 

Places I remember: Hope Collection

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Come On, (Part III)

Gear costume: Travis Walk (In Step)

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've previously reviewed his first two albums - Texas Flood and Couldn't Stand The Weather. On reflection I was a bit stingy with a four-star rating on his second album in particular. Listening to it again, it's clearly a peak. This post wraps up the other albums I have by him, all on CD.

Soul to Soul was his third studio album. Double Trouble is expanded to include keyboards and sax so it enters into a hybrid soul blues territory. It's not as consistently brilliant as Couldn't Stand the Weather and I bypassed it back in 1985. I'm glad to have a copy now though.

This CD copy has a brilliant bonus section with an interview and then a 13 minute version of Little Wing/Third Stones from the Sun which is mind blowing. A version of Little Wing would appear on The Sky Is Crying but this one is much better.

In Step is a superb album. Stevie Ray is at his peak here with the album showing all of his various talents. Having become sober he is locked in and the guitar tones are amazing in their depth and feel. There are no weak areas and the guitar playing is simply breathtaking.

The Sky Is Crying is an odds and ends compilation album put together after SRV's death in 1990. The album features ten previously unreleased tracks recorded between 1984 and 1989. As with most of these kind of things the quality fluctuates and while it's certainly a nice to have, it's not an essential album.

The only live album I have is the Spectrum gig from 1988. It's a radio broadcast but of superior quality to those kinds of live products. As it's from a 1988 gig, it includes material from his first three studio albums. SRV is in fine form and these versions are damn fine! Highlights are live versions of Cold Shot and Voodoo Chile.

Where do they all belong? What a sad outcome for such a talent. Luckily, he'll live on via these recordings.

Rosebud (Tys Van Leer) (LP 4787)

Tys Van Leer  Nice To have Met You (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1978) ***  

Genre: Prog rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Hocus Pocus (not on platforms)

Gear costume: Nice to Have Met You (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: Somewhere along the line Thijs Van Leer became Tys Van Leer. Same guy who was the organist and flautist in Focus (my reviews of their albums are here).

At one point I had a lot more of his solo albums, but that is now whittled down to just this one. I suspect I've kept it for the iconic cover because the music is pleasant in a mainstream kind of way but it's not a patch on the wild progressive experimentation of Focus. That's maybe a bit harsh on the band who play well and provide an excellent musical bed for Van Leer's flute.

It says a lot that the highlight is a rejigged version of Hocus Pocus, and the fact that I've sold off the rest of my Van Leer solo albums. I won't be doing that for Focus, let me tell you!

Where do they all belong? I've learnt my lesson - stick to the parent group.

Hot for teacher (Van Halen) (LP 4785 - 4786)

Van Halen  MCMLXXXIV (Vinyl and CD, Warner Bros. Records, 1984) ****  

Van Halen  For Unlawful Carnel Knowledge (Vinyl, Warner Bros. Records, 1991) ***  

Genre: Rock

Places I remember: Marbecks Records, Mail order Record Club.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Right Now (For Unlawful...)

Gear costume: Panama (1984)

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 two studio albums by Van Halen - one with David Lee Roth and the other with Sammy Hagar. I really like both versions of the band. Each lead singer brings something exciting, distinctive and new to the party.

MCMLXXXIV (probably better known as 1984) was the last to feature Diamond Dave until he returned in 2012. The big songs on it are Panama, Jump and Hot for Teacher. They and the high standard on the rest make it one of the best eighties albums.

Eddie's keyboards are a feature of the album, most notably on Jump. That kick starts the album in more ways than one. The songs are built on rock riffs but with a pop leaning - hence its mega success.

Dave was replaced by Hagar and the band changed a bit to build songs around Eddie Van Halen's needs. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (stoopid title) was their third effort together. 

The heavy hitters on this one were Poundcake, The Dream Is Over, Right Now and Top of the World. This time the accompanying songs aren't as dynamic as those four.

Where do they all belong? I have a double CD best of that captures all the essential moments and is the best place to sample all the ban's best moments. Their best album remains 1984.

Shooting Star (Bad Company) (LP 4782 - 4784)

Bad Company  Straight Shooter (Vinyl, Swan Song Records, 1975) *****  

New Riders of the Purple Sage  Oh, What a Mighty Time (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1975) ***  

Gil Scott-Heron, Brian Jackson and the Midnight Band  The First Minute of a New Day (Vinyl, Arista Records, 1975) **** 

Genre: Rock, country rock, soul jazz.

Places I remember: Little Red Bookshop, Family Store (Hastings)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Good Lovin' Gone Bad (Bad Company)

Gear costume: Shooting Star (Bad Company) 

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: A recent trip to the Little Red Bookshop and a second hand shop in Hastings resulted in these three purchases - all released in 1975 but in three very distinct genres.

I have long searched for a good copy of Bad Company's second album on Swan Song (in the UK it was released on Island Records). Usually the ones I come across are party records and therefore pretty banged up. This time the planets aligned.

It's a superb hard rock album, of course, with all the members at the peak of their powers. That means Paul Rodgers on vocals is peerless, Simon Kirke kicks ass on drums, Boz Burrell is holding down the bottom end with aplomb and Mick Ralphs' guitars are tastefully superb.

Oh, What a Mighty Time cost me $15 from a charity shop in Hastings and that seems a fair price. Their sixth album is not the greatest album by this country rock outfit, but it's also not the worst (some may disagree, I hasten to add). 

I bought it because of the musicians onboard for the album like Jerry Garcia. He plays on three songs, and Sly Stone is on the title track (which is a mess, it must be said). The band includes Skip Battin (former Byrds member) and Spencer Dryden (former Jefferson Airplane drummer).

After the first two songs on side 1, that side is quite a lot of fun. Really! Side two is also inconsistent. Highlights on the album are a sensitive take on Dylan's Farewell Angelina, Take a Letter Maria, and Going Round the Horn. The pedal steel by Buddy Cage is also very tasty.

Gil Scott-Heron's collaboration with Brian Jackson on his fourth album, The First Minute of a New Day, continued to display his talents in an appropriate cool soul jazz way. Unfortunately, Scott-Heron's messages are still very relevant to 21st century America under Trump. Take Winter in America for instance - Ain't nobody fighting because nobody knows what to save.

Where do they all belong? These three show the depth of music in the mid-seventies.