Pererin "Yng Ngolag Dydd" 1985****

...Talk about rarities, it doesn't get much rarer than Pererin's 4th album, whose very existence was debated for years, since almost no-one had ever seen it. Only a handful of copies were originally released - copies, but not records, because no record company had shown the slightest interest in it. The band self-funded a cassette release and then began seeking for distributors but no-one would even go near this album, so most of the cassettes were left to rot in some warehouse. Now, if that fate befell a bunch of kids on their first attempt, it'd be understandable. But this band were already veterans, having released 3 albums as Bran (1975-1978) and another 3 as Pererin (1980-1982). Their style was progressive-folk and (here's the rub) they sang in Welsh. Still, for such an established band to be totally snubbed by everyone, it would have to be a very poor album indeed, right? Well...no. As the world (if by "world" you mean a few hundred persons, that is) found out in 2008, when the album got a very limited CD-release, "Yng Ngolau Dydd" is a perfectly charming and well crafted piece of folk music that stands up very well compared to modern-day folkish pop stars like Midlake and Devendra Barnhart. The musicians made minimal use of electric instruments and opted instead for the warm and natural sound of mandolins, violins, flutes, bodhran and hand percussion. None of the synthesizers and loud snare drums that were all the rage in the 80's. Opener "Yng Ngolau Dydd" ("In the Light of Day" according to google translate) sets the blueprint for the whole album, as it brings together medieval, celtic and country influences. "Mab y Saer" and "Cyntaf Dydd O Fai" are familiar traditional tunes, while "Dacw Nghariad i Lawryn y Berllan" offers a change of pace, as it's an almost funky song with driving electric bass and a short whistle solo. "Ar Gyfer Heddiw'r Bore", "Can Job" and "Y Ddraenen Wen" are gentle, introspective ballads and "Jasmin" is as close as the album comes to pop (not very close at all). "Hogia Llandegai" and "Mae gen i farch glas" are a couple of good-natured, upbeat songs. I can imagine them raising hell at an inn in Westeros, maybe as a medley with "The Bear And The Maiden Fair". The pastoral "Bachgen Bach O Lyn" and the melancholic instrumental "Henffych I Ti", on the other hand, would sound more at home at the closing credits of The Hobbit. Well, not only did I really enjoy listening to that album - now I'm also intrigued to learn Welsh: What kind of language sounds as strange as this and how did it survive in the British Isles when English is threatening to sweep away lesser-known languages all over the world?

**** for Mab Y Saer, Cyntaf Dydd O Fai, Dacw Nghariad I Lawryn Y Berllan, Hogia Llandegai, Mae Gen I Farch Glas, Y Ddraenen Wen

*** for Yng Ngolau Dydd, Ar Gyfer Heddiw'r Bore, Can Job, Jasmin, Bachgen Bach O Lyn, Henffych I Ti

Johnnie "Guitar" Watson "Gettin' Down With" 1963(orig) 1978(reissue)**

This record cover makes one yearn for the Seventies: Those were the times - no arty-farty covers, give the people what they want! Alas, it's all too misleading: First of all, this album wasn't recorded in the 70s. It was initially released in 1963 with the title "The Blues Soul Of...", then in 1967 as "I Cried For You" ‎and in the 90's as "...Plays Misty" and again as "Witchcraft": 5 different editions, 5 different titles and covers. They must have thought that if they keep changing the package, someone will eventually buy it. Judging from the title and aesthetic, this 1978 edition seems to be trying to exploit the artist's success in the Funk/Dance scene of the 70's, but this isn't Disco Watson or even Blues Watson (remember his hit "Gangster Of Love", covered by Steve Miller and Jimmy Hendrix?). Hell, it isn't Guitar Watson at all, because there isn't a single guitar note in the whole album! Now, isn't that misleading when you call yourself Johnny "Guitar" Watson and put the picture of a girl making love to a guitar on the cover? Well, although it is weird for an urban blues label like Chess Records to put out an easy listening jazz album with songs made famous by the likes of Frank Sinatra, it's not a bad record per se. The 8 jazz standards on the album are well played by a small band with an excellent pianist. Two of them are instrumentals ("I'll Remember April" and "Misty"), one blues (Lowell Fulson's "Reconsider Baby") and the rest classic crooner material. Johnny Watson sings well enough, but why would you choose him over Frankie, Billie Holiday or Louis Armstrong? Well, probably because this is a record cover you can also frame and hang on your wall...

**** for Reconsider Baby

*** for Witchcraft, I Cried For You, Exactly Like You, When Did You Leave Heaven, Misty

** for I'll Remember April, Polka Dots And Moonbeams

The Fall "The Less You Look The More You Find" 1983-1992(orig) 1997(comp)***

This isn't the album I wanted to present today. The appropriate CD would be Fall's "I Am Kurious Oranj", which I don't have. Well, at least this compilation contains that record's "Big New Prinz", a song that I lately found out refers to the Dutch Prince Willem van Oranje-Nassau. All of the "Kurious Oranj" album, as well as the accompanying ballet by a modern dance troupe, was initially commissioned by the Dutch Government as part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of his ascension to the throne of England, together with his wife (and cousin) Mary Stuart. Although he was King of England, Scotland and Ireland and elected Stadthouder for a number of Dutch provinces, he never reigned in The Netherlands, as there wasn't a monarchy here yet. There is of course now, so today on April 27, the whole country is infected with orange fever as it celebrates the birthday of King Willem Alexander, a relative of the "Prinz" The Fall sang about. The 3-day celebrations include open concerts and DJ-sets, a huge flea market where everyone sells their old stuff and buys his neighbor's junk and, of course, beer drinking of epic proportions. Buildings are adorned with orange flags (the colour of the House of Oranje) and everyone is required to wear an orange item of clothing. I just came back from the supermarket where they were selling orange-colored cheeses, sweets, potatoes and an incredible amount of food in the same color - not to mention orange oranges, but I'm used to those. Yep, these Dutchies love their Oranjes. Something few Greeks like me would understand, since our (former) royal family was almost universally hated and finally definitively deposed in 1974. Even more puzzlingly: why the hell would someone sane choose Mark E. Smith to commemorate Willem? Mark is a permanently bitter, ugly, obnoxious and aggressive character - which is perfect for an old punk, but not to perform for royalty. I can't help but wonder what passed through Queen Beatrix's mind while she and the rest of the dignitaries watched The Fall accompanying that freaky modern ballet. I'm guessing it was something along the lines of "too bad I'm not allowed to behead anyone for this". Anyway, despite their leader's anti-social attitude and limited musical vocabulary, one has to hand it to them: The Fall may do only one thing, but they do it incredibly well: They've filled more than 30 albums with their repetitive rhythms, abrasive guitar/bass riffs, aggressive shouted vocals and cryptic lyrics. They're always (variations of) the same, yet never boring and rarely off the mark. This compilation collects tracks from their more "commercial" period, when Smith's wife Brix on second guitar helped them tone down the experimentalism and play some more structured pop/rock. It contains a lot of almost hits, but (here's the catch) not in their original versions. Instead, the songs here are culled from three collections of demos, live songs and outtakes: "Sinister Waltz", "Oswald Defence Lawyer" and "Fiend With a Violin". As such, this collection is generally snubbed by music critics and I would also suggest to the newcomer to get their "A-Sides" compilation instead. On the other hand, you could get any of their dozens of albums and The Fall experience will be there. Plus, many alternative versions of their "hits" work just as well as the originals: "Couldn't Get Ahead", "Blood Outta Stone", "I Feel Voxish", "What You Need", "L.A", "2 x 4" and "Bombast" belong to this category. Some, like "Telephone Thing", "Gut Of The Quantifier" and "The Man Whose Head Expanded" pale in comparison to their studio versions. Smith shows his knowledge of 60's psychedelia by covering unsung heroes like Idle Race ("Birthday") and The Monks ("Black Monk Theme"). "Arid Al's Dreams" is an original composition that draws inspiration from 60's psych and 70's krautrock and "Edinburgh Man" a rare un-ironic melodic song with a 60's Kinks feel. The Kinks' "Victoria" (another paean to a long-gone royal)  gets a rousing live rendition and Kurious Oranj's "Big New Prinz" is stretched to 7,5 minutes, while "Bad News Girl" from the same record also makes an appearance. To summarize, I can think of a few reasons you would buy this CD: 1)You are one of those "50.000 fans" The Fall boast of having, you have everything else and are convinced that anything with The Fall's name on it is worth having. 2)You saw it contained a number of well-known titles and thought it was a Best-Of compilation. You may justifiably feel a little bit cheated, as it doesn't say anywhere that these are all alternative versions. On the bright side, it still is a good listen and, when you're finally converted to the Fall cult and buy the original versions, you won't have any duplicates. 3)It was really cheap and you bought it out of curiosity: can't argue with that! Enjoy that specimen, we'll be posting more Fall in the future...

**** for Edinburgh Man, Couldn't Get Ahead, Blood Outta Stone, I Feel Voxish, L.A., Victoria, 2 x 4, Guest Informant, Big New Prinz

*** for Arid Al's Dreams, Birthday, Wings, What You Need, Bombast (Live Version), Married Two Kids, Hostile, Petty Thief Lout, You Haven't Found It Yet, Gentlemen's Agreement, A Lot Of Wind, Just Waiting, Get A Hotel, Carry Bag Man, Bombast (Alternative Version), Oxymoron 

** for The Knight The Devil And Death, Telephone Thing, Black Monk Theme, Gut Of The Quantifier, The Man Whose Head Expanded, Oswald Defence Lawyer, Bad News Girl

Jack Bruce "The Collector's Edition" 1986-1995(orig) 1996(comp)****

It's been six months to the day since Jack Bruce passed away. I started blogging a few weeks afterwards and didn't commemorate him at the time, but this anniversary is as good an opportunity as any. Despite a long career spanning rock, blues, jazz, progressive and metal, he was only ever mentioned in relation with Cream, the 60's supergroup he created with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker. I'll try to rectify that by presenting a latter-day compilation focused on his output for the German CMP label (1986-1995). It opens with two superb tracks from "Somethin Els", in which he's reunited with Cream alumni Pete Brown (lyrics) and Eric Clapton (trombone - just kidding! Guitar, of course). "Waiting on a Word" is a breezy number with trademark blues guitar while "Ships in the Night" a nice, romantic piano-led duet with Maggie Reilly until halfway through...when Clapton unleashes a Pink Floyd-ish solo and the song really takes off. "Childsong", the 3rd track from "Somethin Els" doesn't feature any guitar at all - it's all about acoustic bass and saxophone and reminds me of Robert Wyatt's jazz-prog fusion or the mellower moments of Van Der Graaf Generator. The songs from the "Monkjack" album ("Folksong", "Time Repairs" and blues classic "Third Degree") tread similar territory, jazzy ballads with piano at the forefront. Bruce's singing throughout is excellent but rather understated. New experimental versions of Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary" and Bruce's "Politician" and "Rope Ladder to the Moon" come from a collaborative effort with Mark Nauseef - a jazz drummer with a rock past (Elf/Ian Gillan Band/Thin Lizzy) - and Serb guitarist Miroslav Tadić. Which brings us to the live recordings from the "Cities of the Heart" album. They're all quite powerful readings of solo and Cream material and feature stellar musicians: Humble Pie guitarist Clem Clempson on proggy "Theme for an Imaginary Western" and blues "Sitting On Top of the World", Ginger Baker drumming on "Top of the World" and "NSU" and Gary Moore dispensing heavy metal solos on  "Life On Earth"and "NSU". Taken as a whole, this CD is a testament to Bruce's skill (on vocals, bass and piano) and versatility. A dive into his back catalogue will reward you with a number of rare gems scattered throughout his discography - not to mention the Cream albums, which are of course essential listening. 

**** for Waiting on a Word, Ships in the Night, Theme for an Imaginary Western, Life On Earth, Childsong 

*** for Sitting On Top of the World, NSU, Folksong, The Wind Cries Mary, Rope Ladder to the Moon, Time Repairs, Third Degree 

** for Politician, Colotomix II

The Last Drive "Blood Nirvana" 1991****

I recently bought Last Drive's "Blood Nirvana" for the 2nd time. Now, when you have a large collection, that's bound to happen by mistake sometimes - but this time it was purely intentional. See, I had the US version of their album (above) that contained 1 bonus track: An alternate mix of "Time Has Come Today" from their 1989 Time EP. I figured I'd get the EP in time, but no such luck. It is possible to get secondhand - if you're willing to part with a few dozen euros. Then I stumbled into the German version of the Blood Nirvana CD (below), which contains the entire Time EP and thought what the hell, let's buy it once more for the bonus tracks. Now, if you're from Greece and listen to rock music, you know who Last Drive are: They're synonymous with the Greek Alternative scene of the 80's. They started out as a garage/surf/psychobilly band (in 1983) and gradually drifted towards a more hard rock/guitar dominated sound. I've seen them more than a dozen times: solo, supporting visiting groups or in political events in support of the underground movement. They had always been great live but, around the time of this album, their concerts had begun getting noisier with layers of distorted guitars. It was the Drive's "Judas" moment, when some older garage-psych fans began booing them and calling them metalheads. At the time I was one of the garage purists, too. I would have loved it if they had produced another Heatwave. Despite the noticeably harder guitar sound though, Blood Nirvana (produced by Dream Syndicate's Paul Cutler) still retains many garage/surf elements, while their next albums would flirt with the emerging grunge/stoner scene. "Bite" opens with a slow menacing bass that is soon drowned by a tidal wave of distorted guitars while "Overloaded" is an incredibly catchy number that's reminiscent of Radio Birdman who, along with Wipers, Screaming Trees and Dream Syndicate, seem to be the band's new heroes. Old heroes get a nod, too: The Cramps on "The Bad Roads'' and Stooges on "Cool Spine", while "Slave To The Wave" is, as the title suggests, a throwback to their surf origins - with added metallic guitar heroics. "Desert Rose" and "Sweet Thing" are the fast punky ones and "Chain Train" and "Holy War" the guitar-dominated metallic ones. Their concerts around that time ended usually with an elongated version of "Holy War", wreaking havoc with loud distortion and feedback. It'd leave you with your eardrums buzzing and ensure that demand for encores were less persistent. "Flesh Diver" is a heavy slow number that used to close the original LP. As previously mentioned, the German edition adds all 3 songs from the 1989 Time EP: "Time Has Come Today" is a garage/hard rock take on the Chambers Brothers psychedelic soul classic, "Black Limo" a typical Last Drive garage rocker and "Have Mercy" their poppiest song ever with its "fun fun fun" chorus and perfect indie/surf mix, like Pixies and Jesus & Mary Chain meeting The Beach Boys. It was the only reason I bought this CD again, as I had "Time..." in the US version and "Black Limo" in The munster dance hall favorites 3 comp. Well, as it turns out, I was just a tad too hasty. The "time" EP is set for a (possibly very limited) vinyl re-release later this year - with extra unreleased tracks. As for Last Drive, their new direction cost them some fans and they disbanded in 1995 to form other projects. A reunion gig 12 years later was such a triumphant success that it led to a full-blown reunion - a story we'll get back to...

***** for Overloaded, Have Mercy

**** for Bite, The Bad Roads, Cool Spine, Slave To The Wave, Black Limo

*** for Chain Train, Holy War, Sweet Thing, Time Has Come Today

** for Desert Rose, Flesh Diver

Rolling Stones "Dirty Work" 1986**

"Dirty Work" is considered one of The Stones' weakest records, which is why I kept postponing buying it for so long. Recently, it was given away as premium with Greek newspaper Real News and thus came in my possession. The circumstances under which it was made were not the best: Jagger had just made his solo album, much to Richards' annoyance. It had gotten into his head that he'd have more success as a solo pop artist rather than with The Stones' rock'n'roll direction. It flopped and managed to estrange him from his co-writer and co-leader of the group. Drummer Charlie Watts (with the blue shirt, falling asleep and sliding down from the couch) was addicted to alcohol and heroin and barely took part in the proceedings. A number of replacement drummers was used to finish the album. 2nd guitarist Ronnie Wood thankfully stepped in and, for the first time, contributed to 4 songs. But the songwriting results were so poor that they resorted to covers for the first time in a decade. Not only that, but these two covers were among the highlights of the album: "Harlem Shuffle" was the leading single, a soul number that at least achieves its purpose - if that purpose is getting people dancing. The other cover is a white-boy-reggae tune called "Too Rude", sung by Keith Richards. Keith also sings on "Sleep Tonight", the Dire Straits-like ballad that closes the record and, although his voice isn't the sharpest instrument in the world, he sounds at least honest and emotionally vested in the songs. More than what I can say for Mick Jagger. He came to the studio after the rest had finished their contributions and added his vocals on top of the already finished instrumental tracks: He growls, he shouts, he roars - but he forgets to sing. Somehow he must have gotten the idea it's enough to wear a smart suit and jump up and down while spitting the words. Well, maybe that works when appearing live in huge arenas, but not on record. It's a pity, if only for Richards who kept piling great riffs one after another. It's not often remarked, but his guitarwork in this album is brilliant. It's just buried under that 80's "state of the art technology" sterile production that managed to suck the life out of so many mainstream albums. Those modern techniques is the reason the record sounds even more outdated (if that's at all possible) than it looks (Check the Stones' suits on the album cover: aren't you glad the 80's are over?) Add to the mix the lazy, incomplete compositions, perfunctory singing and monotonous beat - would anyone buy this album without The Stones' name on the cover? Opener "One  Hit (To the Body)" is probably the best of the bunch, a hard rocker that features three world-class guitarists (Richards, Wood and Jimmy Page). "Fight", "Hold Back" and "Dirty Work" are similarly hard rocking, with good riffs but otherwise totally indifferent. "Back to Zero" is pseudo-funky New Wave and sounds like something discarded from a contemporary Talking Heads album. "Winning Ugly" and "Had It with You" are bluesier numbers, the latter being the only natural sounding R&B rocker. With an actual harmonica instead of layers of synthesizers,horns and backing vocalists. And if I have to praise the Rolling Stones song for sounding like Dr. Feelgood, you know it's not a good record! A short piano instrumental rounds up the record. It's a small tribute to early band member and later road manager Ian Stewart, who had recently died of heart attack at the age of 47. Final verdict: Only buy this album if you're really intent on collecting The Stones' complete studio output. I am - and still have just a couple of records to go!

**** for One Hit (To the Body)

*** for Harlem Shuffle, Too Rude, Dirty Work, Had It with You, Sleep Tonight

** for Fight, Hold Back, Winning Ugly, Back to Zero, Piano Instrumental

Black Sabbath "Master Of Reality" 1971(Original) 2009(Deluxe Edition) *****

This is the 3d album of the heavy metal pioneers, who were at the time faced with the impossible task of following "Paranoid" with something as good. Well, maybe it's not as good (how could it be?) but a pretty fine album it is. Lyrically it's lighter than its predecessor and touches on a variety of subjects, embracing youth rebellion in "Children Of The Grave", marijuana in "Sweet Leaf" and tackling pollution in the dystopian sci-fi "Into The Void". "After Forever" gets criticism for its infamous line "Would you like to see the pope at the end of the rope?" Very visual and shocking, but it's actually sung from the point of view of a reborn Christian denouncing atheism. Sabbath could be that way, playing the satanist card for shock value but never actually following it through. Ozzy usually assumes a persona, so he can sing as a Christian the one moment and as Satan himself the next (e.g. "N.I.B." or this album's "Lord Of This World"). Two short acoustic instrumental interludes ("Embryo" and "Orchid") provide some respite from Iommi's riff assault, together with the delicate flute-adorned ballad "Solitude". Compared to the two unparalleled albums that preceded it, "MoR" may have slightly weaker songs (although "Leaf" and "Children" are rightly considered classics), but it sports a momentously heavy groove thanks to its revolutionary low tunings. Together their with next record Vol.4, it has proved hugely influential and served as a template for countless doom/stoner bands. The Deluxe Edition adds instrumental and alternative versions plus an unreleased song from the sessions, "Weevil Woman '71", which would actually not be out of place in any of the classic Sabbath albums. It's that good. The instrumental versions will allow you to appreciate Iommi's riffs without distractions, while also of interest are the different lyrics on Sweet Leaf (which seems to have started as a love song) and Children Of The Grave. The latter has Ozzy making up some nonsensical lyrics which were later rewritten by the group's better lyricist, bassist Geezer Butler. It's impressive how songs like this or "War Pigs" connect with the concerns of the flower power generation (this was still the aftermath of Woodstock) while they're esthetically their polar opposite. The alternate "Lord Of This World" comes with extra production flourishes (piano, slide guitar, double tracked vocals). Intriguing, but I can understand why they decided to dispense with them at the end - with Sabbath, it's all about the riff. IMO, the Deluxe Edition is of interest only for serious fans. If you're a fan and overtly familiar with this classic album, you'll be more than glad with the alternative versions and newly remastered sound. Most Classic Rock/ Metal fans would be well served by the regular remastered edition, while the simply curious need only a good compilation and probably "Paranoid" or the debut "Black Sabbath".

***** for After Forever, Children Of The Grave, Sweet Leaf
**** for Orchid, Lord Of This World, Solitude, Into The Void
*** for Embryo, Weevil Woman '71, Children of the Grave (alt.version), Sweet Leaf (alt.version), Lord Of This World (alt.version)
** for After Forever (instr.), Children of the Grave (instr.), Orchid (alt.version), Solitude (alt.version), Spanish Sid (early version of Into The Void) 

Beck "Midnite Vultures" 1999***

I certainly didn't see that coming when Beck first emerged with his indie MTV hit "Loser", but as it turns out he  is one of those pop geniuses you hear about. Not that I like his records so much, but there's no denying he can write songs in any number of genres, sing, play and produce. He has released a number of well-crafted albums without, miraculously, repeating himself. "Vultures" is, apparently, his bid for the dancefloor, day-glo cover and all. He fails, of course, because he's too brainy to make authentic dance music - but leaves us with another interesting record and some songs with great hooks. Opener "Sexx Laws" is a soul groover with a horn section straight from the 60's. "Nicotine & Gravy" is another winner with its lusty lyrics and electronic funk and "Mixed Bizness" the 3rd hit in a row, another funk dynamite with prominent bass a la  Funkadelic. The momentum, however, proves impossible to sustain. The Kraftwerk proto-techno of "Get Real Paid" and rap stylings of "Hollywood Freaks" seem rather forced to me and so does the Prince-impersonating "Peaches & Cream". "Broken Train" has a pleasantly experimental vibe, like Eno producing psychedelic-era Beatles while "Milk & Honey" has 80's disco synth sounds and reminds me of Grandmaster Flash and Giorgio Moroder. Its long outro segues nicely into folk/soul ballad "Beautiful Way", one of the few tracks where Beck actually sounds like himself.  "Pressure Zone" is another mix of psychedelia, funk and proto-techno and "Debra" where the Prince obsession reaches its zenith. Beck almost gets the falcetto right and the song is actually better than most of Prince's recent output, but to me he sounds like he's trying too hard to be black, a common fault for white artists since the beginning of rock'n'roll. Some people can pull it off, but if you have to try so hard you just embarrass yourself. In any case, the album gathered good reviews and sold well, while Beck, having obviously gotten it out of his system, never repeated the effort.

**** for Sexx Laws, Nicotine & Gravy, Mixed Bizness

*** for Get Real Paid, Broken Train, Milk & Honey, Beautiful Way, Pressure Zone, Debra

** for Hollywood Freaks, Peaches & Cream

Ω Omega "10 000 Lépés" 1969****

Omega is supposed to be Hungary's greatest rock band. Or, at least, the only one that managed to escape its country's margins and get known internationally. I know what you'll say, the iron curtain etc, but I think it has to do with how open cultures are to outside influences and maybe how they present themselves to the outside world. Even 20 years ago, I knew of Hungary's Omega, Czechoslovakia's Plastic People Of The Universe, Yugoslavia's Bijelo Dugme (you know, Bregovic's group) but I couldn't readily name a 60's/70's rock band from Austria, Switzerland or Portugal. Ω were apparently popular in the two Germanies, Poland and elsewhere and even recorded and released a beat album in the UK with the help of the of The Spencer Davis Group's manager. Despite their relative success at the time, their albums aren't all that common in Greece (or in the Netherlands). So when I found this for a nice price, I bought it. It catches the band in transition between psychedelic pop and the progressive space-rock for which they're mostly famous for. Opener "Petróleum lámpa" is a fast number with country harmonica and boogie woogie piano. Typical 60's, could be Chris Farlowe if not for the obnoxious vocals - although maybe I shouldn't blame the singer but the Hungarian language itself: It sounds like an unholy mixture of Turkish and Slavic or, more accurately, like no other human language at all. Not that easy on the ears usually, though it didn't stop me from enjoying "Gyöngyhajú lány", the album's high point. A gorgeous ballad (later covered by the Scorpions as "White Dove"- and the Scorpions really know ballads). It features atmospheric organ, fluid guitar, soft lead vocals and big harmonies on the chorus. "Túzvihar" and "Nem tilthatom meg" are Hendrix-inspired hard rock, while "Félbeszakadt koncert" shows more similarities to Led Zeppelin. All three are excellent. "Udvari bolond kenyere" and "Halott viragok" are closer to the Kinks circa 1967 and "Kérgeskezú favágök" a soul-jazz instrumental with a long drum solo. "Tékozló fiúk" is a crazy one and a personal favorite, a fuzz guitar monster blending prog grandiosity, hard rock aggressiveness, garage punk attitude and what sounds like a seriously pissed-off ghost at backing vocals. The album's namesake "Tizezer lépés" is another prog/hard rock dynamite, with impressive organ and guitar work reminiscent of Deep Purple from the same period, while "Az 1958-as boogie-woogie klubban" is what the title (probably) says, a retro rock'n'roll number. Once again, the language sounds wrong and it comes out like Borat impersonating Elvis - but in a fun way. "Régi csibészek" is a whimsical country stomp while "Spanyolgitar legenda", "Volt egy bohóc" and "Naplemente" are Renaissance-flavored folk with flutes, strings etc. This album proves that music knows no national or political boundaries, as it shows Hungarian rockers to be every bit the equal of their English and American contemporaries, at the forefront of the progressive movement and impressive instrumentalists - especially the guitarist and organist. If the singer was half as good, I'd even call it a cornerstone of its genre.

***** for Gyöngyhajú lány

**** for Tekozlo fiuk, Tizezer lepes, Félbeszakadt koncert

*** for Petróleum lámpa, Túzvihar, Udvari bolond kenyere, Kergeskezu favagok, Az 1958-as boogie-woogie klubban, Spanyolgitár legenda, Nem tilthatom meg, Volt egy bohóc, Naplemente

** for Halott virágok, Régi csibészek

The Cannibals "Brunch With..." 1979-1987(orig) 2008(Comp)***

I bought this CD from a stall at the Monastiraki flea market in Athens, still sealed. Now, I have a couple of Cannibals LP's so I knew what to expect: Trashy aesthetic, primitive garage rock'n'roll with excursions into punk, psychobilly and R&B territory - all good fun. It turns out this is a limited edition compilation (only 500 copies) made with the intention of introducing the band to Japanese audiences, as in 2008 they were getting ready for their first tour of the Far East. It's not a bona fide "Best Of", but then the Cannibals never had any hits to speak of. So what singer Mike Spenser did was gather a smattering of rare or unreleased tracks and produce a compilation to showcase his band. I have no idea how the tour went, but I gather from the fact that the 500 CD's did not sell out that it wasn't a huge hit. Not that the Cannibals seem to chase world-wide success, mind you. It's enough that they keep the spirit of garage trash alive in the British Isles. There's a handful of bands still plowing this territory, with Billy Childish and The Meteors the most persistent. Like them, the Cannibals have been around since the late 70's when Spenser's pub rock band Count Bishops broke up and, although they're similar in style, they have dug their own niche, combining pure Nuggets-style garage with that very English punk sneer. Frustratingly, the liner notes give little information as to the origin and chronology of the tracks, but it seems that the compiler's idea was to present different periods and facets of his band. He dug out the original master tapes and has achieved a reasonably clear sound for their first digital transfer (all songs are previously unavailable on CD). The album starts, fittingly, with a Pretty Things cover, "Come See Me" (The Cannibals haven't been dubbed the punk rock Pretty Things for nothing) and continues with Cramps-inspired psychobilly ("Rumble in the Jungle","Screaming Abdabs","Weekend on Mars", "You Drive Me Mental"). He then proceeds to rummage through the Nuggets songbook ("Hey Little Bird","Too Much to Dream", "Gloria", "Barracuda") while more 60's covers follow: A chaotic live "No Fun" and great takes on Sam The Sham's "Little Red Riding Hood" and the Kinks' "Well Respected Man". "Back Door Man" starts off like The Doors' version but Spenser is no lizard king and he knows it. "Take Me to Your Leader" is horror comedy set on a Bo Diddley beat while "Twilight Zone" is a less successful effort. "Little Girl" sounds like another 60's cover but I couldn't quite place it (it's not the Syndicate Of Sound's same-named number). A word of advice: do not google Cannibals Little Girl. The results are not pretty. "Slow Down" is a raucous cover of an old chestnut best remembered as a Beatles' B-side. "Hoochi Coochi Man" is primitive R&B and the CD closes with some more rough garage punk ("All Shook Up", "I Could See Right Through You", "I Don't Wanna Change"). Final verdict: The CD works fine as an introduction to The Cannibals and should satisfy fans of primitive garage a la Back From The Grave. Given that it's quite rare though, it's not worth seeking out. Any Cannibals album would do just as well, but none is really essential.

**** for Rumble in the Jungle, Hey Little Bird, Little Red Riding Hood, Little Girl

*** for Come See Me, Back Door Man, Weekend on Mars, Well Respected Man, Take Me to Your Leader, Slow Down, Too Much to Dream, Gloria, All Shook Up, Barracuda, I Could See Right Through You, I Don't Wanna Change

** for No Fun, Screaming Abdabs, Drive Me Mental, Twilight Zone, Hoochi Coochi Man

* for Twilight Zone (Vocal Backing Track)

Black Sabbath "13" 2013***

Hearing about Iommi's cancer diagnosis in 2012 sounded to me like the announcement of the end of an era. Sure, Black Sabbath wasn't going to last forever. But it seemed wrong for them to stop just as the original band was getting together and giving new generations of fans the chance to witness the first and foremost Heavy Metal band of all time. I was personally very much looking forward to their canceled Rotterdam concert, originally announced for June '12. Iommi thankfully pulled through and I finally got to see Sabbath one year later, in November 2013. By that time, they had a new album out, the first in 35 years featuring both Ozzy and bassist/lyricist Geezer Butler. The only one of the original line-up missing was drummer Bill Ward. He was replaced by Brad Wilk (former Rage Against the Machine). Brad is a different type of drummer, less bluesy and heavy but very powerful and energetic. For the tour he was in turn replaced by Tommy Clufetos, whose drum solo during the show was an impressive display of skill and energy. Iommi was majestic, looking really cool while dispensing his famous riffs. Ozzy, on the other hand, looked and sounded like something that crawled out of the Walking Dead series: Damn right scary. Still, voice or no voice, Ozzy is the classic Sabbath vocalist and still the definitive performer of the early stuff. On the album he sounds fine, so maybe by the time the tour reached Amsterdam, his larynx was just in bad need of rest. The CD (named "13" despite being the band's 19th) was produced by Rick Rubin with a back-to-basics approach. No keyboards, no fancy production tricks, just "the riff, the whole riff and nothing but the riff". As has been universally pointed out, his approach worked well and this raw blooze metal really sounds like the album that could -and should- have followed "Sabotage". As if to stress the new (or is it the last?) phase in the band's evolution, the album starts off with the line "Is this the end of the beginning/Or the beginning of the end?". The slow, sludgy riff is vintage Sabbath, leaving the listener with the impression of being transported 40 years in the past. "God Is Dead?" is another monster track and rightfully "13"s lead single. It echoes German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who famously wrote "God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him". Ozzy really wanted to sing that line, but the band found that a bit too controversial and changed Nietzsche's categorical statement into a question. "Loner" and "Zeitgeist" hark back to Sabbath's glorious past, recalling "N.I.B." and "Planet Caravan", respectively. "Age of Reason" starts off with some heavy (and hazy) riffs and wanders aimlessly mid-song until Iommi brings it back home with a long solo. "Damaged Soul" is a bluesy number (even includes harmonica) that takes us back to Sabbath's debut, "Live Forever" contains another great guitar solo and "Dear Father" is an attack on the Catholic Church, in light of the recent pedophilia scandals. It's classic Metal, replete with effects like rain, thunder, tolling bells etc. The Deluxe Edition of the album adds 3 bonus tracks that are every bit the equals to the ones included in the album proper: "Methademic", "Peace of Mind" and "Pariah". If Sabbath go out with this album, they will have gone out gracefully. But I personally think there's no way they'll stop after recapturing their mojo on "13". Provided, of course, Iommi's health permits it...

Black Sabbath at The Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam 28/11/13

**** for End of the Beginning, God Is Dead?, Loner

*** for Zeitgeist, Age of Reason, Live Forever, Damaged Soul, Dear Father

Flamin' Groovies "Supersnazz" 1969****

It would take almost a decade for the world to catch up with the Flamin' Groovies but they sure as hell were rough-and-ready from the get-go. The 3 albums they recorded in the late 60's/early 70's with original singer Roy Loney at the helm were all flawless timeless rock'n'roll with the odd blues or country ballad thrown in for good measure. "Supersnazz" was their LP debut and the only one to be released on a major label. Garage rock scorcher "Love Have Mercy" opens the album in an explosive manner with the band recorded live and in great spirits. It starts off a bit like the Blues Brothers, but pretty soon you understand that this brand of R&B has been injected with punk energy and hard rockin' guitars. It sounds exactly like the album cover looks: Rollicking good fun! "Girl Can't Help It" is a throwback to the 50's without sounding retro - the energy levels are too high to ever think of it like that, guitars and sax really rip! "Laurie Did It" is slower with pop and country elements. It sounds like it could have come straight out of the Rolling Stones' "Between The Buttons". "A Part from That" is a gentle ballad with strings and "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" carries a New Orleans R&B flavour, piano and all. "First One's Free" is rockabilly country with Elvis vocals and wild harmonica and piano. "Pagan Rachel" is a mid tempo jazz/country ditty and "Somethin' Else/Pistol Packin' Mama" is a rockabilly/punk powerhouse. Compare this to the Sex Pistols' version and it's obvious why the punks adored the Flamin' Groovies when they first met them in '76. "Brushfire" is a bona fide country number and "Bam Balam" a fast old-timey dixieland piece, so infectious and funny I always play it twice in a row. "Around the Corner" closes the album with some relatively tame pop rock. Somehow, this great album failed to reach a wider audience and the Groovies were dropped from their label. I can only guess that the record buying public was looking for something more serious or contemporary, this being the beginning of the progressive era. Neither "Supersnazz" nor the two superb (and even louder) albums that followed it met with any success. But the Groovies (along with Iggy Pop and New York Dolls) did carry the torch of simple, unadorned and loud rock'n'roll until the punk generation picked it up. Kudos to them for that!

**** for Love Have Mercy. Girl Can't Help It, Laurie Did It, Somethin' Else/Pistol Packin' Mama, Bam Balam

*** for A Part from That, Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu, First One's Free, Pagan Rachel, Brushfire, Around the Corner

The Dentists "Some People Are on the Pitch (They Think It's All Over, It Is Now)" 1985*****

Although the Dentists fit well with the neopsychedelic/paisley underground movement of the 80's, their music also has a timeless quality. They combined their love for melodic 60's psychedelia with the 70's punk ethos and 80's indie stylings of The Smiths, REM and the Go-Betweens. Or you can just as easily see them as precursors of Brit-pop, since their music isn't that far removed from what The Stone Roses would do in the 90's or Coral and the Zutons in the 00's. At that time they were lumped together with The Prisoners & Milkshakes as part of the Medway scene, the common thread being a love for the 60's and a certain rawness in the execution. The title of the album is also a (very English) allusion to the 60's, these being the historic final words of the BBC broadcast of the 1966 World Cup final, one won by the English national football team - for the first and last time. It was their debut long-player, released after the very well received single "Strawberries Are Growing In My Garden" (here available as bonus track). Opening tracks "Flowers Around Me" and "I'm Not The Devil" are an indie take on the Jefferson Airplane and The Byrds, respectively. "Tony Bastable" owes more to the energy of garage/punk and "You Make Me Say It Somehow" is an excellent garage/folk melange - according to band members, the inspiration was "A House Is Not A Motel by Love together with a bit of Eight Days A Week". "Mary Won't Come Out To Play" and "Kinder Still" are a couple of gentle ballads and "Excellent Dream" a punk folk number of the kind that peppered Love's 1965 debut. "Engineers Set" sounds like a cross between early REM and The Who. "Back To The Grave" is another sped-up folk rocker, while "Tangerine" is more New wave-ish and "Arrow Points To The Spot" paisley pop (Ever heard the band 3 O' Clock? Very typical of that genre). "Everything In The Garden" is melodic psychedelia and "One Of Our Psychedelic Beakers..." a combination of Buzzcocks and early Floyd. The reissue adds the band's debut single. "Strawberries..." has often been anthologised (notably in the "Children of Nuggets" box set) and remains a pinnacle of neo-psychedelia, with its punky production, Byrds-ian riff and references to the Beatles' Strawberry Fields. "Burning The Thoughts" is a punkier proposition and "Doreen" a charming psych ballad. To sum up, unbeknownst to the record buying audience, the Dentists created in 1985 a timeless masterpiece of psychedelic folk rock. They had perfect melodies and poppy harmonies but thankfully avoided polishing them for MTV's shake and went instead for a raw and edgy sound that suits them well. Maybe the real problem was their name: They should have chosen a cute bug or animal name, like The Beetles, Monkeys, Yardbirds, Eagles, Animals etc. OK, theses were taken, but what about The Zebras? The Mosquitoes? The Hippopotamuses? Even The Donkeys would be better than The Dentists! Nobody likes those!

*****Flowers Around Me, I Had An Excellent Dream, Strawberries Are Growing In My Garden (And It's Wintertime)

****I'm Not The Devil, You Make Me Say It Somehow, Kinder Still, Little Engineers Set, Back To The Grave, Tangerine, Everything In The Garden, One Of Our Psychedelic Beakers Is Missing, Doreen

***Tony Bastable V John Noakes, Mary Won't Come Out To Play, Arrow Points To The Spot, Burning The Thoughts From My Skin

Betty Ford Clinic "Tralalapompompom" 1993***

I bought this one from a second hand store for €1. It contains a cover of "Bummer in the Summer" from one of my all-time-favorite albums, Love's "Forever Changes", so I thought "these guys have good taste in music-maybe their album is good, too". As it happens, their Love cover is just passably good garage rock. Their other 60's cover "Sealed With A Kiss" is somewhat more interesting, the way it often is when a pop song gets the punk treatment. It sports a nice guitar solo and I must say the guitars throughout the album are excellent and remind me of The Wipers' Greg Sage. The rest of the songs are all originals, betraying a wide spectrum of influences that prove that yes, these guys do have good taste. Apart from The Wipers, I can hear elements of the Cramps ("Calling All Trucks", "Cannibal Fiesta"), Black Flag ("Someone In My Blood"), X ("Plisting Thing", "Killed You On A Summerday"), Jello Biafra ("Famous Bands In Plane Accidents"), Frank Zappa ("Easy Judy"), Misfits ("Shit", "Daddy May I"), Beasts Of Bourbon ("Lungs & Liver"). Ramones ("Fuckersville, Heaven") etc. An Internet search has yielded very little information, namely that the band came from Breda (a Dutch city near the Belgian border) and only published this CD and a short EP. Apparently, guitarist Delabie is mostly famous for running Studio 195, which seems to occupy an important place in the Dutch Alternative music scene. The album is of some interest for mixing disparate elements in a post punk-garage-psychedelic-experimental hybrid, but far from essential. I don't see me playing it often in the future - not with thousands more waiting to be listened and reviewed. UPDATE> This Dutch site http://music.xs4all.nl/Intro/Intro88/d068888.htm informs us that the group evolved from another group called Scream Therapy and that singer Hans Ford released one more lo-fi album in 1996 under the name Ford's Imaginary Inferno. Guitarist Delabie has been somewhat more active, as a member of the Scoundrels in the 80's, producer for studio 195 and solo artist.

**** for Easy Judy, Fuckersville Heaven, Sealed With A Kiss

*** for Calling All Trucks, Bummer In The Summer, Plisting Thing, Shit, Daddy May I (Be A Whore), Killed You On A Summerday

** for Someone In My Blood, Famous Bands In Plane Accidents, Band,Worker Wilson, Lungs & Liver,  It Was Great, Tralalapompompom, Cannibal Fiesta 

Joe Strummer "Earthquake Weather" 1989***

I wasn't old enough to catch (pseudo) Clash at the historic Rock In Athens festival in '85, but I had the privilege of seeing Joe Strummer with the Mescaleros during his next appearence in Greece on November 2001, only a few months before he suddenly died (at 50) from an undiagnosed congenital heart defect. I left absolutely exuberant, thinking "so this is how a true rock'n'roll concert is!". Most concerts give you the impression of witnessing a spectacle, more or less like in the theatre: The play may tell the truth, the writer may have invested his soul in it, but what you are witnessing is a show, calculated to produce an emotional response. If the actor is good enough, he tricks you into believing that it's all real. Strummer was not a fake. He was a veritable man of the people, playing his heart out, having fun, absorbing the audience's love and returning it twofold. His musical history and people who met him speak of a man who loved and respected his fans and adhered closely to his socialist principles. It's telling that he never reformed The Clash despite repeated multi-million offers. From the group's disbandment until his death he only shared the stage with Clash co-founder Mick Jones once: At a benefit for striking firemen. What mountains of cash could not do, happened in the spirit of solidarity to the strikers. Maybe this goes some way into explaining his lengthy disappearance from the music scene: Strummer needed the camaraderie, the feeling of belonging to a group with a mission. Between The Clash's breakup and the formation of the Mescaleros (not just a band, but first and foremost a bunch of friends) he spent 16 years in a musical wilderness, during which he only completed this one album, recorded in 1989 with the help of a band he named Latino Rockabilly War. He appeared in a few films, wrote music and songs for a few soundtracks, became a touring member of The Pogues for a year - but mostly basked under the Andalucian sun, having broken his ties to the record industry. "Earthquake Weather" was a half-hearted attempt at a comeback, but it suffered from weak production and even weaker promotion. It ended up selling a mere 7.000 copies when "Combat Rock" had sold 5 million. It fell out of print and even now is only available in the form of "manufactured on demand" legal CD-Rs, cheap knock-offs with photocopied covers which, to top it all off, are credited to Strummer & The Mescaleros who were formed a whole decade later - it's as if his record company is still punishing him for his uncommercial stance. But exactly just how justified was the company's lack of faith and public's indifference? I'd say he had already lost the record company's trust when Clash released "Sandinista!" - an experimental triple LP for the price of a single one. Their next record "Combat Rock" was taken out of the band's hands and given to an outside producer to make fit for mass consumption. It spawned two huge hits "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" and "Rock The Casbah". I'm sure that, by giving him another chance, they were secretly hoping for a similarly big single. They would then be able to look past the rest of the album and its experiments with world music and focus on pushing the hit. It didn't turn out that way - Strummer would never write a hit again. He had the lyrics and the vision, he had the stage presence, but he was still one half of a classic songwriting team: By themselves, he and Jones were good songwriters - but only together they could achieve greatness. As for the fans, they obviously wanted him to continue on the punk road. He had gone that way with "Cut The Crap" and, although the album was weak and received terrible reviews, it still made the charts - No.16 in the UK and No.88 in USA. He wanted to try something new, but no-one knew what to make of it - it would be another 10 years before critics and fans accepted his fusion of rock'n'roll and world music. Retrospectively, this album makes sense as an awkward evolutionary link between the Clash and the Mescaleros. It suffers from a somewhat muddy production, with layers of instruments not clearly defined and drums buried low in the mix. Joe's lyrics and vocals are, on other hand, as good as ever and Zander Schloss's lead guitar heroics a welcome addition. The album's opening sentence is an affirmative "Let's Rock Again" from lead single "Gangsterville", a song strongly reminiscent of Sandinista!'s "Junco Partner". "King of the Bayou" carries a New Orleans flavor and "Island Hopping" sports a Carribbean rhythm. Now, The Clash have been courting reggae from their very beginning, but this was the first time that Strummer really tapped into the spirit of the tropics. "Slant Six" is a return to his punk roots and ''Dizzys Goatee" (about jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie) dub adorned with electric blues guitar solos: never heard that before-or since! "Shouting Street" strays into Chuck Berry territory, just like Joe's pre-Clash days with The 101ers. "Boogie With Your Children" is a disco attrocity. I can only hope that Joe was going for a sarcastic, Frank Zappa-style,anti-disco satire - but I'm afraid he was seriously trying to copy Prince! "Leopardskin Limousines" is an endearing acoustic ballad - another unsuspected side to this former punk. "Ride Your Donkey" is a likeable reggae-ish ditty. "Sikorsky Parts", "Passport to Detroit" and "Highway One Zero Street" are a more or less successful melange of rock, punk & funk. They would fit but pass unnoticed in any Clash album circa 1979-82. "Jewellers & Bums", on the other hand, sounds like the product of talentless Clash imitators. The album closes with a beautiful Latino ballad called "Sleepwalk", proving that yes, Joe Strummer must be a blood relative to Manu Chao. Another generation, nationality and descent, but there's something very strong linking those two. To summarize, if you can just forget about the Clash and if you've enjoyed the Mescaleros, this is an album well worth discovering. Here's hoping to a decent sounding remastered (and, hopefully, remixed) version in the future, but in the mean time the original LP's and CD's can be found second hand - and, of course, there are always the torrent sites for those with shallow pockets...

**** for Gangsterville, King of the Bayou, Island Hopping, Sleepwalk

*** for Slant Six, Dizzys Goatee, Shouting Street, Leopardskin Limousines, Sikorsky Parts, Highway One Zero Street, Ride Your Donkey, Passport to Detroit

** for Boogie With Your Children, Jewellers & Bums

Gigolo Aunts "Flippin' Out" 1994***

Now, just how much should I read into the fact that the Gigolo Aunts are mostly known for having a song in the soundtrack of "Dumb and Dumber?" I prefer to judge them from the fact that they chose the title of a Syd Barrett song as their name and actress Chloë Sevigny as their cover model. Chloë is prone to making some very alternative choices: Need I remind you the teenage HIV infected-drug swallowing-getting raped while passed out-heroine of Kids? Small town lesbian of Boys Don't Cry? Or her performing fellatio on screen in Brown Bunny? Well, the Gigolo Aunts proved to be much less controversial than their cover star. People often describe their sound as "power pop", a word that I always associate with Big Star. Do they sound anything like Big Star? Oh Yeah... but also Tom Petty, REM, Posies, the Replacements etc. The opening couple of songs ("Cope", "Lemon Peeler") are the hardest rocking of the bunch and really put me in the right mood but I found the following "Ride On Baby" rather uninteresting. Thankfully, even the mediocre songs in this CD are listenable thanks to some tasteful guitarwork. "Bloom" has a Byrdsy feel reminiscent of early REM and "Figurine" is another jangly folk-rocker. "Where I Find My Heaven" is the Dumb And Dumber track and really is too good to be associated with that movie, putting the "power" in the "pop" and justifying the Big Star comparisons. "Lullaby" follows the same recipe, with diminished success. "Mrs. Washington" is a sunny pop song and "Gun" a power-pop message for gun control. "Pin Cushion" is a rather faceless reprise of previous songs and the title track "Flippin' Out" is apparently a cover of an unreleased song by a group named Wizards - Ah, the good old days of The Basement Tapes, when unpublished songwriting gold circulated among artists in the form of bootleg tapes! Well, maybe not gold in this case, but certainly a sweet Beatles-y ballad. Nice is the keyword here...

**** for Cope, Where I Find My Heaven

*** for Lemon Peeler, Bloom, Figurine, Lullaby, Mrs. Washington, Gun, Flippin' Out

** for Ride On Baby Ride On, Pin Cushion