Yes I believe (The Moody Blues) (LP 4461 - 4469)

The Hollies  Russian Roulette (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1976) ***  

The Moody Blues December  (CD, Universal Records, 2003) *** 

Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass  Whipped Cream & Other Delights (Vinyl, Festival Records, 1965) *** 

John Sebastian  Cheapo-Cheapo Productions Presents Real Live John Sebastian (Vinyl, Warner Bros. Records, 1971) *** 

Argent  Argent (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1970) **** 

Argent  In Deep (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1973) *** 

Argent  Nexus (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1974) **** 

Brian Auger  The Best of Brian Auger (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1977) ***** 

Jackie DeShannon  Lonely Girl (Vinyl, Sunset Records, 1974) *** 

Genres: Pop, Prog rock, Easy listening, Folk-rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Daddy Don't Mind (The Hollies)

Gear costume: Dance in the Smoke (Argent), A Taste of Honey (Herb Alpert), Inner City Blues (Brian Auger)

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: Recently, I had a trip to Auckland for a couple of days which included my usual pilgrimage to Real Groovy Records in the CBD. All of the vinyl in the list above comes from their sale bins, which always reveals some treasures.

Doing this blog a while ago, I was surprised I didn't have a copy of The Hollies 1976 album, Russian Roulette, so I found a copy for $10. It's a pretty spirited affair with some electric guitar-based rock - the title track and Louise are good songs but they are no competition for the final song on side 2 - Daddy Don't Mind. It's superb and if the rest of the album was as good as that one it would have been a five-star effort.

The Moodies Christmas album, December, only has three members appearing on it - Graeme Edge, Justin Hayward and John Lodge. It's also their final studio album. I've been after it for a few years so I was delighted to find a CD copy of it.

It's very typically The Moody Blues - some lovely orchestral backing, Lodge and Hayward's distinctive vocals, and a theme - Christmas! Most of the songs are by Hayward and/or Lodge but there are some telling covers - John and Yoko's Happy Xmas (War is Over) delivers a nice message, while White Christmas and A Winter's Tale are also fab. 

As the AllMusic critic wrote: There is no new age drivel here; its topics and themes are indeed Christian, but weigh on the side of those that are universally held: brotherhood, compassion, hope, goodwill, and generosity. In addition, it's beautifully orchestrated and produced. Its sound is pristine, and Hayward and Lodge with their trademark elegance sound as if they mean every word they write and sing.  

As I've indicated previously here, my parents were big fans of Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, but for some strange reason they didn't buy his most popular one, his fourth album - Whipped Cream & Other Delights, so I've bought a copy for them.

I doubt it was because the cover image was a bit racey. Although pretty conservative, my parents weren't prudes. So, they bought three Herb Alpert albums but decided against Whipped Cream.

The live John Sebastian album came quickly after an unauthorised live album was issued and quickly withdrawn in 1970. That one is pretty impossible to find as it's never been re-released and so it's ultra-rare. The Cheapo-Cheapo alternative lives up to its name - just John and a guitarist friend to flesh out the sound, plus a quick succession of songs.

He plays with spirit and a certain level of commitment and while he hasn't got the warmth and humour of Arlo Guthrie or the political focus of Country Joe, it's still an interesting live document. A curio, if you will.

Argent was Rod Argent's creation after exiting The Zombies (they are coming in the countdown). I've already written about their live album and their third album - All Together Now. The new band spent six months workshopping ideas and jelling as an entity - the result was Argent.

The band lineup for their 1970 debut album, Argent, was Russ Ballard – guitar, lead vocals, Rod Argent – organ, piano, vocals, Jim Rodford – bass (later on he played bass in The Kinks), Robert Henrit – drums (also a Kink later on).

It's a strong album with a rockier approach to things than The Zombies more orchestrated pop ways. Rod contributes some excellent organ to the album and Russ Ballard shows his commercial abilities to good effect. For example, Lies is a standout pop song.

In Deep is the band's fourth studio album. It includes their big hit God Gave Rock and Roll to You, another Russ Ballad effort. The rest of the album is a succession of heavier prog songs like It's Only Money. 

The vocals are also more layered on this album. The album liner notes by Rod indicate that it was a focus to improve the vocal sounds and this was job done, I believe. 

Nexus is my third Argent album coming from this visit to Real Groovy. All three were fairly dusty with fingerprint marks but a good clean with some warm water has improved all of them dramatically.

Nexus sounds HUGE. Try Infinite Wanderer and marvel at Rod's keyboards! They are brilliantly to the fore, and the band is wailing behind his lead. It helps if you turn this album up really loud too. Just sayin'.

The Brian Auger compilation is absolutely superb. Every track is a wonderful example of his genius, whether than be on piano (Listen Here) or organ (Inner City Blues). The man is a true master!

Jackie DeShannon (a.k.a. De Shannon) is someone I admire a lot and I continue to buy her albums whenever they cross my path. Lonely Girl is a compilation from 1968. Weirdly it avoids two of her big hits - When You Walk in the Room and What the World Needs Now Is Love.

However, it does include her version of Needles and Pins, and her own terrific songs like Lonely Girl and I Remember the Boy. It also has some of the bombastic pop of the sixties which hasn't aged that well.

Where do they all belong? I'm keen to eventually find the three albums that I'm missing from the Argent catalogue - their second album - Ring of Hands and their two post Russ Ballard albums from 1975 - Circus and Counterpoints.

A glimpse of heaven (Strawbs) (LP 4286 - 4287)

Jackie DeShannon   Songs  (Vinyl, Capitol Records, 1971) ***  

Strawbs   From the Witchwood  (Vinyl, A&M Records, 1971) ****  

Genre: Pop, folk rock, prog rock 

Places I remember: Slow Boat Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Witchwood (Strawbs)

Gear costume: Lay Lady Lay (Jackie DeShannon)

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: A recent visit to Wellington meant a few purchases from Slow Boat Records*. Nineteen seventy-one is one of my favourite years for music - here are two more from that stellar year.

Jackie DeShannon has featured from time to time in the collection's rundown (Jackie and For You). I'm not sure why I'm drawn to her brand of pop music, but I am. Songs is an unheralded album of hers, Jackie gets much more attention, but it's a good pop album with a variety of looks - pop, folk, gospel even. Her version of Lay Lady Lay is interesting and a highlight of this album.

From the Witchwood has been on my radar for a while. It's the second and final Strawbs' album with Rick Wakeman as a full member (Dragonfly has already appeared - he appears on one track, Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios). 

It is a game of two halves in some regards - a folk-rock side one and a prog rock side two. I enjoy both sides in equal measure. Dave Cousins has an appropriate vocal style for each and Rick Wakeman's keyboards can adapt to all sorts of styles.

Where do they all belong? *I also picked up Bob Weir's second solo album. I'll get to it eventually.

Wolf party (Old Man Pine) (LP 4210 - 4214)

Jackie DeShannon  For You (Vinyl, IR Imperial Records, 1967) *** 

John Mayall  Primal Solos (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1977) ***  

Old Man Pine  Swamp Stomps (Vinyl, Swampton Sounds Records, 2024) *** 

James Taylor  Flag (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1979) *** 

Dinah Lee  Introducing Dinah Lee (Vinyl, Viking Records, 1964) **** 

Genres: Pop, blues, NZ music, rock 

Places I remember: Vinyl Countdown, A Records (Flag) - both in Nu Plimf.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Happy Blue Beat (Dinah Lee)

Gear costume: Hallelujah, I Love Him So (Dinah Lee)

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

Active compensatory factors: These acquisitions came from a recent Christmas holidays' trip to New Plymouth. A Records is a relatively new shop in the Fitzroy area. It's got a great ambience and a variety of genres, but doesn't yet have enough quantity. I took about 15 minutes to check through all the vinyl, whereas at VC it took me an hour just to go through the sale bins.

That's where I got most of these records for $2 to $5, aside from Old Man's Pine which was $30 in the NZ section. A few needed a clean, but all of the above are in very good to excellent condition. Amazing, given that the oldest one (Dinah Lee) is 61 years old.

Jackie DeShannon's For You is from 1967. It has her performing orchestrated adult contemporary pop songs. This copy is in mint condition, ex of Radio NZ's National Programme - their stamp is on the back cover. Someone has loved this album for almost 60 years and it wound up in the sale bin at Vinyl Countdown. Lucky me!

It's not her typical pop style and the lush orchestration took a while to adjust to, but when I did, I heard a quality artist challenging herself in a positive way.

Primal Solos is an archive compilation of historic interest - so the quality varies. Side 1 of the John Mayall album has Clapton, Bruce (pre-Cream) and Hughie Flint on drums, live in London 1966. Side two are live recordings from 1968 with Mick Taylor (pre-Rolling Stones) playing some superb guitar. Well worth $5.

Old Man Pine are a band from Palmerston North. I have their impressive debut album, Swamp Stomps is their second effort. It has a great opening track (Bad Self Proud) and an excellent surf rock instrumental (Serf Tango) and while the rest doesn't quite reach those high standards on first listen, it's still local good-time boogie rock like the debut.

Flag is an album I had glossed over in my James Taylor collection until seeing it for $15 at A Records. Side one is the electric side where JT attempts to update his image and sound. It kinda works too, but then side 2 is back to his usual warm acoustic approach, although he is pretty damning of his relationship with Carly during B.S.U.R. (S.U.C.S.I.M.I.M.). Bad form JT!

It's a pretty good JT album and does contain his version of Up on the Roof, a redo of Rainy Day Man, an interesting version of Daytripper, and Millworker. So, plenty to feel positive about. It didn't sell especially well, and critics were unimpressed - probably why it's taken me until now to own a copy.

Dinah Lee's Do the Bluebeat from 1964 (her third single, and on Introducing) was the first song and single that I can remember seeing and listening to. I was 7, but I distinctly remember seeing the single playing on our radiogram. It was love at first listen!

It's a lively record (and the best of this bunch) - thanks to backing from fellow New Zealanders, Max Merritt & His Meteors. It's 1964 so The Beatles get a mention on You Don't Talk About Love and in the liner notes she is referred to as a 'beatle chick' (sic). At the time Dinah was 19! 

She has a very mature voice - just have a listen to Don't You Know Yockomo - her first single and also included on this debut album. Extraordinary. She's now 82 and still around - my first crush!

Where do they all belong? Apart from those albums I also picked up some compilations of Steppenwolf (The Best of Steppenwolf: Reborn To Be Wild), Barclay James Harvest (Early Morning Onwards); an original version of Donovan's What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid); and a southern rock jam album we'll eventually get too (Volunteer Jam)

Brand new start (Jackie DeShannon) (LP 2377)

Jackie DeShannon  Jackie (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1972) *** 

Genre: Pop 

Places I remember: Second hand store in Turakina

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I Wanna Roo You 

Gear costume: Paradise

Active compensatory factors: Jackie DeShannon has a nice soulful vocal style. The material on this album allows her to shine, and although it wasn't commercially successful in 1972 it's a good album that makes her sound relaxed. It helps that the musical settings are complimentary.

A Rolling Stone reviewer at the time described her singing thus: what is so satisfying about her singing is the tension she accumulates by always just holding back the full wallop.

Although it's tough for her to shake that 60's image thanks to those hit love songs (Put A Little Love In Your Heart, What The World Needs Now for example), this album is a successful early seventies repositioning of her talent. It's definitely worth a listen.

Where do they all belong? Next up in the pop rock category - are we not men? No, we are...Devo!