Rhythm of life (The Flower Kings) (LP 4311)

The Flower Kings  Retropolis  (CD, Foxtrot Records, 1996) ***  

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: Gift from Keegan

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Melting Pot

Gear costume: The Judas Kiss

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

Active compensatory factors: I appreciate the talents of Roine Stolt's work (he formed The Flower Kings and is their guitarist and lead singer-songwriter) without being fully invested in the music of The Flower Kings. I have no idea why that's the case, but some things resonate, and some things don't.

This is pleasant Floyd/Yes inspired prog rock from the Swedish prog outfit led by Stolt, but I prefer the source material rather than nineties prog groups like The Flower Kings.

Where do they all belong? A pleasant album that doesn't get too many plays.

Crabfoot (The Flock) (LP 4310)

The Flock  Dinosaur Swamps (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1970) **  

Genre: Jazz rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles/ Gear costume: Big Bird

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

Active compensatory factors: Columbia had a few good jazz-rock outfits on their roster - Blood Sweat & Tears and Chicago principally. The Flock didn't sustain early promise and Dinosaur Swamp is a bit of a mess.

Jerry Goodman, on violin, soon was headhunted for The Mahavishnu Orchestra and The Flock fell apart shortly after this second album.

The songs tend to become bogged down with band members seemingly unaware of what their bandmates are playing.

Where do they all belong? I have no great desire to hunt down their debut (which is supposed to be much better) and this one is likely to be culled in the coming months.

Ego tripping at the gates of hell (The Flaming Lips) (LP 4309)

The Flaming Lips  Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (CD, Warner Bros. Records, 2002) ****  

Genre: Acid rock

Places I remember: Fives

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Yosmini Battles the Pink Robots Part 1

Gear costume: Do You Realize?? 

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

Active compensatory factors: Over the years, I've struggled to get The Flaming Lips schtick. The only time I've felt connected to them and their music is this album. Partly because it sits outside their usual psychedelic jive.

This was their tenth album. I bought the album based on contemporaneous reviews and hearing two songs - Do You Realize?? and Yosmini Battles the Pink Robots Part 1.  Their hooks got me, in the same way that 10CC's hooks got me, so, I was onboard for the album.

Where do they all belong? I also bought a copy of The Soft Bulletin but can't find it in my collection. Maybe I sold it? Anyway, I don't feel the need for other albums by them.

Together (The Firm) (LP 4308)

The Firm The Firm (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1985) ***  

Genre: Rock 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Someone to Love 

Gear costume: Closer

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

Active compensatory factors: Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and Paul Rodgers (Free and Bad Company) were at a loose end and decided to team up in the early eighties. Joining them in The Firm were Tony Franklin (bass, keyboards) and Chris Slade on drums. Chris should be familiar as he was the drummer in Manfred Mann's Earth Band (reviewed here). 

Although Rodgers and Page have identifiable styles of their own, the songs themselves are distinctively The Firm rather than any of those other bands listed above. It's quite eclectic in its range of songs and styles. Maybe that's why critics panned it in 1985 and sales were average.

Where do they all belong? I kept this album but bought and sold their second. It's a good reminder of 1985 for me.

Never be lonely (The Feeling) (LP 4305 - 4307)

The Feeling  Twelve Stops and Home (CD, Island Records, 2006) ****  

The Feeling  Join With Us (CD, Island Records, 2008) ***  

The Feeling  Together We Were Made (CD, Island Records, 2011) ****  

Genre: Pop 

Places I remember: HMV, Fopp

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I Love It When You Call (Twelve Stops...)

Gear costume: Sewn (Twelve Stops...), Set My World on Fire (Together...)

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

Active compensatory factors: The Feeling is a pop band from England. Members on their debut Twelve Stops and Home in 2006 were Dan Gillespie Sells (lead vocals, guitar), Kevin Jeremiah (guitar, vocals), Ciaran Jeremiah (keyboards, vocals), Richard Jones (bass, vocals) and Paul Stewart (drums). 

All together, they know how to write catchy songs, play, and sing. Their harmony vocals are superb. Although there is a whiff of guilty pleasure about them, overall they channel their Beatles, 10CC influences perfectly.

The debut had five great singles (Sewn, Fill My Little World, I Love It When You Call amongst them) and other songs that could have easily been singles.

Second album Join With Us came out two years later. It was a bit of a letdown in the song department compared to the debut. There are still some good moments - highlights include I Thought It Was Over, Turn It Up and the title track. 

Much, much better were the songs on third effort - Together We Were Made which took three years to appear. I nearly didn't bother after Join With Us but I'm glad I did. All The Feeling's touches were present and correct - layered harmony vocals, great lead vocals from Dan. Set My World On Fire was another excellent single but there are again plenty of songs that could have been hits, like Another Soldier. Plenty of pop smarts to admire on this album.

Where do they all belong? I lost touch with The Feeling and their next four albums. I'd be tempted if I ever come across them, though.

Taken by surprise (The Family Cat) (LP 4304)

The Family Cat  tell 'em we're surfin' (Vinyl, Bad Girl Records, 1989) **  

Genre: Indie rock

Places I remember: The Little Red Bookshop

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Gabriel's Wings (YouTube)

Gear costume: Sandbag Your Heart (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

Active compensatory factors: This is a mini-album (eight songs) by The Family Cat - a British indie rock group. It's their debut recording, they went on to produce a couple of albums, produced by The Jam's Rick Buckler.

It's a curious mix of styles - some Brit-pop, some indie-pop, some post-punk/new wave (Albert Hoffman's Bike) some Americana (Gabriel's Wings in case you're wondering and it's great!). Some of it is not so great, it has to be said.

Where do they all belong? Ultimately, they struggled to carve out an identity that gave them a sustained career, but this is an interesting introduction to a weirdly named band.

Come on in (The Exponents) (LP 4301 - 4303)

The Exponents  Something Beginning With C (CD, Mercury Records, 1993) *****  

The Exponents  Grassy Knoll (CD, Phonogram Records, 1994) ***** 

The Exponents  Hello, Love You, Goodbye (CD, Columbia Records, 1999) *** 

Genre: NZ Music, pop 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records 

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Like She Said (Grassy Knoll)

Gear costume: The Nameless Girl; When She Was In Love (Something Beginning With C)

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

Active compensatory factors: Yes! Two five-star albums from Jordan Luck and the crew (Brian Jones - guitar; David Gent - bass, and Harry Haralambi on drums) who make up NZ's brilliant rock band - The Exponents. 

Something Beginning With C has a terrific ramshackleness about it, but in reality it is carefully crafted classic NZ rock music. Plenty of hits on this album: Why Does Love Do This To Me; Who Loves Who the Most; Whatever Happened to Tracey; and Sink Like a Stone. My favs apart from those: Please Please and Thank Yourself;  The Nameless Girl; and When She Was In Love. It's a superb album - every Kiwi home should have one.

Great as it is though, I prefer the beefed up rock sound of Grassy Knoll. The guitars are turned up and the guys rock out like beasts! Amazingly guitars are by Dave Dobbyn and Brent Williams following the departure of Brian Jones).

This is the band at the peak of their powers - like no other NZ band that I can think of. One offs. Jordan Luck is a superb singer and he gets everything right on these two albums. 

The third album on my list is their seventh album - a composite of six studio songs and six live versions of their hits. Never a great sign! The band had undergone some further changes by this point. Jordan and Harry were joined by Steve Simpson (bass) and Dave Barraclough (guitar).

The new songs aren't that memorable and Jordan sounds huskier than normal. Overall, they are not at their best on this album - instead go for the five-star rated ones above.

Where do they all belong? There are some excellent compilations out there that trace the band's origins as The Dance Exponents to The Exponents. I can recommend Once Bitten, Twice Bitten - The Singles 1981 - 1995.