Take your chances (Justin Hayward) (LP 2710 - 2712)

Justin Hayward - John Lodge  Blue Jays (Vinyl and CD, Threshold Records, 1975) ***  

Justin Hayward   Songwriter  (Vinyl and CD, Deram Records, 1977) ***  

Justin Hayward  Moving Mountains  (Vinyl, Towerbell Records, 1985) ***

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: Chaldon Books and Records; Fopp; Amoeba Music

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Remember Me (My Friend) (Blue Jays)

Gear costume: Blue Guitar  (Blue Jays)

Active compensatory factors: Justin has made one appearance on Goo Goo so far with his 1980 solo album, Night Flight, featured here, so this post looks at the rest of his solo albums with and without John Lodge.

The solo stuff started with Blue Jays, a collaborative effort with his fellow Moody Blue - John Lodge. The vinyl version doesn't include the hit single Blue Guitar, recorded with 10CC, but the CD version does.

Lodge and Hayward share songwriting duties on this album, made after Seventh Sojourn, during The Moody Blues' 5 year break from each other.

For the most part, it's a lovely, groovy sound they've conjured up - Remember Me (My Friend) is an excellent Hayward song.

My only quibbles on Blue Jays and Songwriter are the lack of his distinctive guitar and the inclusion of strings on some songs. One word, Justin - mellotron. But I guess that would be too Moody Bluesy, so I get it. But I still miss it.

Songwriter isn't a favourite of mine. The songs feel like they've been worked on too much and so it has a contrived feel for me.

His fourth solo album was 1985's Moving Mountains. We are into mid eighties synth sounds by this stage and I miss the mellotron even more.

Where do they all belong? I'm not a completist of the Moodies solo albums so this will do unless I spot his post Moving Mountains albums.

Fisherman's friend (Colin James Hay) (LP 2709)

Colin James Hay  Looking For Jack (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1987) **  

Genre: Pop 

Places I remember: Spellbound Wax Company

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Looking For Jack (Herbie Hancock on piano)

Gear costume: Circles Erratica

Active compensatory factors: This is the debut solo album for the former Men At Work guy.

Being the eighties, the big drum sound and rock arrangements (there are a shed load of musicians on this album) threaten to overwhelm the Aussie battler at times.

The better songs tend to be the ones with fewer musicians on them. The trump card though is Hay's vocal style. The guy can sing and he has a great vocal inflection that make this album a pleasant experience, if not an essential one.

Where do they all belong? I don't own any Men At Work albums and this will be it for Mr. Hay.

Psychedelic warlords (Hawkwind) (LP 2708)

Hawkwind  Hall Of The Mountain Grill (Vinyl, United Artists Records, 1974) *** 

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: My Music Taupo

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Psychedelic Warlords

Gear costume: Wind Of Change

Active compensatory factors: I have indicated elsewhere the cover mix up with Doremi Fasol Latido at My Music Taupo. I have long since bought the right album, this one, from them and swapped covers around.

As I said in that earlier post: Hawkwind were not something I explored in my teenage years - they seemed too tripped out on acid for me to take a punt. I'm not sure I missed too much. This is pretty incomprehensible stuff but fun all the same!

I stand by those comments for Hall Of The Mountain Grill. Together with that other album they produced two quality albums in 1974, and they are still going strong. Not bad going for a bunch of wacko druggies!

Where do they all belong? Always keen to explore more of their back catalogue.

Rifferama (Hatfield and the North) (LP 2707)

Hatfield and the North   Hatfield and the North (Vinyl, Virgin Records, 1974) *** 

Genre: Prog rock 

Places I remember: Recent record fair in Waipukarau

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Licks For The Ladies

Gear costume: Shaving Is Boring

Active compensatory factors: I wasn't sure about buying this one during a recent record fair. I initially left it behind but thought better of it and returned to grab it.

I've read a lot about it, and listened to it on Spotify but it didn't really grab me initially and it's taking a while for it to reveal its charms (I'm not there yet).

With side one, I think I can see the intellectual appeal but so far it doesn't grab me on an emotional level. The Northettes singing doesn't really do it for me.

Side two is more like it with some Zappa-esque wacked out instrumental passages and frenetic drumming. That I like!

Where do they all belong? I'll keep listening to this, but won't be searching out any other Hatfield and the North albums. The same vendor had a few Henry Cow albums - may put my toe in the water with them instead.

Back at the depot (Alex Harvey) (LP 2706)

Alex Harvey - The New Band  The Mafia Stole My Guitar (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1979) **** 

Genre: rock 

Places I remember: Spellbound Wax Company

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Wait For Me Mama

Gear costume: The Mafia Stole My Guitar

Active compensatory factors: This was the last album released before he died in 1982 and, perversely, it's the only Alex Harvey album I own.

I'm not sure why I missed him along the critical collecting years of the seventies. Maybe he was just quirky enough, or obscure enough for me to pass him by. By all accounts he's a sensational artist with a sensational band, so - one of life's mysteries why he wasn't huge.

This is a very good album. Alex sounds unhinged at times - always an appeal. Seriously! Artists on the edge, doing their own thing and bugger the consequences are always bound to produce singular work. 

Where do they all belong? Even so, I'm not sure I'll be looking for other Sensational Alex Harvey Band albums, however, I'm glad I've got this one.

Sentimental journey (Harpers Bizarre) (LP 2704)

Harpers Bizarre  The Secret Life Of Harpers Bizarre (Vinyl, Warner Bros. Records, 1968) ***  

Genre: Pop 

Places I remember: Slowboat Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Bye Bye Bye

Gear costume: Green Apple Tree

Active compensatory factors: The cover implies a 1968 trip (maan) but this is strictly squaresville - in a good way!!

I've mentioned Harpers Bizarre previously and their straight world. For some reason I have a real soft spot for their groovy, deeply uncool, harmonies.

This was their third album, displaying what the AllMusic reviewer called their 'mildly eccentric soft rock direction, remaining as mildly eccentric [as] ever, but growing ever softer'.

Do I care a jot? Nope!! Bring on the harpsichord, the massed 'ooohs', the awkward ornate arrangements, the hushed strings!! More! More!

Where do they all belong? Actively looking for more Harpers Bizarre!

What happens now? (Porcupine Tree) (LP 2705)

Gavin Harrison  Cheating The Polygraph (CD, KScope Records, 2015) ***  

Genre: Jazz; prog rock 

Places I remember: Fopp

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: What Happens Now?

Gear costume: Heartattack In A Layby

Active compensatory factors: If instrumental big band versions of Porcupine Tree songs is your idea of a fun time, then look no further than Cheating The Polygraph (named after a Porcupine Tree song on Nil Recurring).

Gavin Harrison is a polymath drummer widely used in prog circles. He has extensive history with Steven Wilson, has played in King Crimson and is currently in Pineapple Thief. He knows what he's about.

He takes a bit of a back seat on this set, a labour of love - no drum solos for Gav, thank goodness. Instead, he's along for the ride with some ace session jazzers. His dad would be proud of the effort.

Where do they all belong? A one off, filed in the pop rock alphabeticals.

Hard to beat (Hard-Fi) (LP 2700 - 2703)

Hard-Fi  Stars Of CCTV (CD, Atlantic Records, 2005) *****  

Hard-Fi  One Upon A Time In The West (CD, Atlantic Records, 2007) **** 

Hard-Fi  Killer Sounds (CD, Atlantic Records, 2011) ***  

Hard-Fi  In Operation (CD/DVD, Atlantic Records, 2006) ****  

Genre: Pop/ alt-rock 

Places I remember: Fives (Leigh-on-sea); Fopp (Covent Garden); HMV (Oxford St.); JB Hi-Fi (Killer Sounds)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Cash Machine

Gear costume: Suburban Knights

Active compensatory factors: I have raved about Hard-Fi before on this blog, but they haven't appeared as separate entries in the catalogue countdown to date.

I love their sound - rocky, reggae-y, dubby, alt-poppy, and football crowdy. Begs to be played loud too!

Debut album - Stars Of CCTV was huge in the UK when we lived in Leigh-on-sea. Hard To Beat, Cash Machine, and Living For The Weekend were all hits and all over the radio at the time in England.

I bought my copy from Fives on The Broadway and immediately loved it. It's especially tough to pick something off the first two albums to feature above but I've gone for one each off those first two albums.

The second album, Once Upon A Time In The West, is a more settled mature sound after the youthful rush of CCTV. It went to #1 in the UK, and again there were three stellar songs released as singles: Suburban Knights; Can't Get Along (Without You); and I Shall Overcome.

It's not as cataclysmic an album as Stars Of CCTV but still a top effort with top songwriting from Richard Archer.

Richard Archer is the band's talented main man: lead vocals, principal songwriter, guitar. But Hard-Fi is definitely a band. One that still exists, too. After a lengthy hiatus they are set to release new material and tour later this year (2024). Good luck to them!

Killer Sounds was their last fully fledged album and while it has its moments, it's a mellower sound. Maybe more mature again, but pales next to Stars Of CCTV.

Finally, the In Operation package has a DVD of a live concert (Hellszapoppaly great) and a CD containing dub versions of the CCTV songs. It's excellent too!!

Where do they all belong? It will be great to hear what they come up with later in the year.

High hope (Glen Hansard) (LP 2698 - 2699)

Glen Hansard  Rhythm and Repose (CD, Plateau Records, 2012) ***  

Glen Hansard  Didn't He Ramble (CD, Plateau Records, 2015) ***  

Genre: Folk rock 

Places I remember: Fives; Fopp

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Talking With The Wolves (Rhythm and Repose)

Gear costume: Love Don't Leave Me Waiting (Rhythm and Repose)

Active compensatory factors: The cover art gives these albums away - pained and haunted for the most part.

Rhythm and Repose was his first solo album and came after his breakup with Markéta Irglová. So, there's not a lot of up-beat joy on offer on the songs.

Didn't He Ramble was his second album and is also quite moody - not quite so down and out as his first but the sparse instrumentation makes it a sedate affair.

Where do they all belong? I love Once and I really like the Swell Season phase and his work in The Frames, but this will do it for the solo career.

Playing it by heart (John Hanlon) (LP 2695 - 2697)

John Hanlon  Garden Fresh (Vinyl, Family Label Records, 1974) ***** 

John Hanlon  Higher Trails (Vinyl, Family Label Records, 1975) *****  

John Hanlon  Just Quietly (CD, Family Label Records, 2009) *** 

Genre: NZ music, pop/ rock

Places I remember: the records came from Denton's Records in 246 Queen Street, Auckland - loooong gone!  I bought my first records there when I was a youngun/padowan. Just Quietly is from JB Hi Fi.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:  Higher Trails

Gear costume: Damn The Dam, On A Hillside In The Rain (Garden Fresh)

Active compensatory factors: I've written about my admiration for John Hanlon elsewhere on this blog (here frinstance), and I can add he's a lovely guy who returns emails from fans like me!

Garden Fresh was a revelation to me in 1974 - a Kiwi singer songwriter that spoke to me! That was a first. 

As a nation, we watched him on TV during New Faces/ Studio One style Opportunity Knocks/X Factor type programmes and I loved everything he did.

His second and third albums are great - Higher Trails is a little more confident, but I kind of think of these as Vol 1 and 2. His first album (Floating) is quite a tentative debut.

Just Quietly is well named. It's quite introspective and doesn't employ any pop or rock moments. As such it's nice to hear but not the one I come back to if I'm in the mood.

Where do they all belong? The compilation After The Dam Broke gives an excellent overview. He's a national treasure!

The peacemaker (Albert Hammond) (LP 2694)

Albert Hammond  The Free Electric Band (Vinyl, Mum's Records, 1973) ***  

Genre: Pop 

Places I remember: Vinyl Countdown

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: The Free Electric Band

Gear costume: For The Peace Of All Mankind 

Active compensatory factors: I have a soft spot for Albert Hammond. I like his Lennon-esque voice, his delivery, his off kilter songs, his humour, and his pop nous.

He sums up those more innocent early seventies singer songwriter types for me - the ones like Gilbert O'Sullivan, Gerry Rafferty, and Leo Sayer.

Truth be told, he's more a singles guy than an album guy. The Free Electric Band song towers over this album, particularly as it takes a whole side to get to it. It's a bit of a slog.

Where do they all belong? I'd still buy his other seventies albums if I come across them in the cheap bins. Bit tragic, I realise.

Nowhere to go (Hammer) (LP 2693)

Hammer  Hammer (Vinyl, Elektra Records, 1979) ** 

Genre: Pop 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: One Day

Gear costume: Goodbye

Active compensatory factors: This was an attempt at a band setting for Jan Hammer. You know - like Bowie and Tin Machine.

This is a similar misfire away from his prog rock day job, into a tilt at a pop sound/pop band.

It's inoffensive mostly (Highway Made Of Glass veers too much towards the saccharine) but a lot of the album is an okay attempt at trying for a different audience. Unfortunately, I can't see the prog world embracing his version of Oh Pretty Woman too much.

Where do they all belong? A definite one-off.

Back Together Again (Hall & Oates) (LP 2692)

Daryl Hall & John Oates  Bigger Than Both Of Us (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1976) ***  

Genre: Pop

Places I remember: Spellbound Wax Company

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Rich Girl

Gear costume: Back Together Again

Active compensatory factors: This was their fifth studio album together and the slick years were almost upon us. Rich Girl is a brilliant single - easily the best song on the album.

I only own two Hall & Oates albums, this one and the far superior Abandoned Luncheonette. Jacky did have a copy of H2O when I met her but it slipped into the to-be-sold pile in the mid eighties.

Where do they all belong? That's it for the duo who have parted acrimoniously these days and have vowed never get back together again. Ironic, given the title of this album, and a shame when that happens to erstwhile friends/musical partners. Money doesn't talk, it swears (Dylan).

Second balcony jump (Dexter Gordon) (LP 2691)

Dexter Gordon Go (Vinyl, Blue Note Records, 1962) ****  

Genre: Jazz 

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Cheese Cake

Gear costume: Love For Sale

Active compensatory factors: I didn't know much about Dexter Gordon's Go aside from the fact that it's a big shot in jazz circles, so when I saw this in JB Hi-Fi recently I needed to Google the album while browsing. The 5 star reviews from Downbeat, Rolling Stone and AllMusic were enough for me.

From the first moments when Dexter Gordon sails into the opening song full of brightness and confidence, it is obvious that Go is going to be one of those albums where everything just seems to come together magically. A stellar quartet including the stylish pianist Sonny Clark, the agile drummer Billy Higgins, and the solid yet flexible bassist Butch Warren are absolutely crucial in making this album work, but it is still Gordon who shines (AllMusic)

It's as good as the reviews promised, too. 

Where do they all belong? A winner! Into the jazz collection it goes.

Atlas stone (Haken) (LP 2687 - 2690)

Haken  Aquarius (CD, Sensory Records, 2010) ***  

Haken  The Mountain (CD, Inside Out Music, 2013) ***** 

Haken  Affinity (CD, Inside Out Music, 2016) **** 

Haken  Vector (CD, Inside Out Music, 2018) ***** 

Genre: Prog metal, prog

Places I remember: Keegan gave me a copy of Aquarius, rest came from Fopp in Covent Garden (London)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Pareidolia (the Mountain)

Gear costume: Cockroach King (The Mountain); Veil (Vector)

Active compensatory factors: I first heard Haken via a sampler from Prog magazine and since then I've been pleased to collect a few of their albums, including Aquarius via my eldest son who is also a fan.

First album on the list is Aquarius, their debut. It's a prog concept album about a mermaid (hence the cover). Given there are lengthy instrumental passages around the lyrics, I soon lose the plot and just enjoy the album for what it is - a great British version of Dream Theater style theatrics and musicianship. 

It's pretty outstanding that this was their debut, as the band sounds fully formed.

I immediately liked it, and also appreciated Ross Jennings' vocals. He has a comparatively gentle delivery that contrasts with the brutal prog metal stance at times. It's very much a personal preference but I prefer his vocals to James LaBrie.

I missed their second album (Visions) but was back on board for their next three.

The Mountain is the one with Cockroach King on it - easily their most popular song on Spotify. The rest of the album has the band reaching a peak in terms of their confidence in their ideas (pun intended).

The musicianship is top notch. If you want a modern prog rock masterpiece then look no further than The Mountain.  

Affinity is their fourth studio album. The similar mix of lengthy prog epics and shorter (by comparison) work outs are featured. It's excellent, but on the long side and the second half isn't as essential as the first half. A common enough malady in the CD age.

Vector has a more metal approach than previously, but it's also quite subtle as well, because Jenning's vocals are a constant and he doesn't really have a 'classic' metal voice. Nevertheless this is more riff driven than previously - something that I appreciate! A classic 5 star effort - Vector is also quite a short Haken album. This one and The Mountain will take some beating.

Where do they all belong? I haven't seen their other albums in my NZ travels, so I'll have to wait a bit until we make a return visit to blighty to get their last couple.