Posts

Showing posts from October, 2019

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."In Search Of Space" (1971)

Image
"In Search Of Space" - Hawkwind (1971) If you've been curious about what the heck space rock is all about, pick up this bad-puppy.  This was Hawkwind's 2nd album...and it's goooooood!  It's very ethereal.  Heavy at times with tasty psych and prog shenanigans going on.  It rocks and jams and it gets a little trancy.  Everything adds up to a free ride without leaving the couch. The opener "You Shouldn't Do That" is a fantastic 16-min ‘how do you do.”  I loved this and grabbed my headphones the second time around.  ”Master of the Universe” is another gem, more rocking but without losing the spacey-psych flavor.  This is one I might have heard on The Psychedelic Experience .  Somewhere anyway.  ”Adjust Me” is a goodly strange, experimental spin.  But really this album is good from needle drop to label.  I've heard others say this isn’t even considered their best album.  What!?  Methinks I have some more exploring to do. This Hawkwin

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."One" (1974)

Image
"One" - Bob James (1974 - Rei 1981) Of the many Bob James albums floating around, ”One” is the album I had been searching for.  This is the album with a bit of mystery and a touch of spooky.  And it's these elements that I really enjoyed.  Of the six tracks claiming real estate, I dare say that three are very nearly killer.  Surprising at the very least.  The other three songs are, as you might expect, in the familiar smooth jazz vein Bob James loved to tap.  They are fine, too, but pale in comparison.  If you pass on Bob James because of the homogenized smooth jazz reputation, his debut... ”One”. ..is the square you'll want to grab.  It's a welcome surprise.  Here, James rubs shoulders with a bit of “Gris-Gris” eeriness.  There are some spooky and unexpected moments.  And, of course, the rather famous funk-it-out... "Nautilus" ...has been hip-hop sampled more times than ice cream at a Baskin Robbins. Try as I may, I could never find his origi

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Gun" (1968)

Image
"Gun" - Gun (1968) I like this album a lot.  "Gun" is filled with great guitar riffs and fuzz.  And rocks with ideas more interesting than most.  There is some psych toast throughout and proto-prog moments.  Hell, this is one of those albums that crack the egg for proto-metal, as well.  And surely must have influenced later bands to come.  Plus, the vocals are really good. Gun was a power trio from the UK who recorded two albums, this being considered their best.  Two of the members, the Gurvitz brothers, would later go on to form the Baker Gurvitz Army with drum punisher and legend,  Ginger Baker. (rip)  “Race With The Devil” is the band's signature song that opens this album and it tears the horsehide right off the baseball. (My 2019 World Series reference.)  But “Yellow Cab Man” is the lost gem and it wails like a banshee, as well.  It may be my favorite track on here.  Both are fantastic.  And then there's the 11-minute closing track “Take

Interview -- Lance Kerwin (Actor)

Image
"...when you've got Robert Mitchum  telling you a story with eye contact, ya don't just get up and walk away." ~ Lance Kerwin ~ Lance Kerwin  was doing movies in the 80s and 90s, but it was the 70s that was his 'Golden Buzzer."  Great made-for-TV movies like Stephen King's  “Salem's Lot” and Michael Landon's heartbreaking “The Loneliest Runner”  were both perfect vehicles for Lance's unusually sensitive awareness.  The camera loved Lance Kerwin .  And it was always cool seeing him appear in various TV shows and Afterschool Specials .  He was young, smart and could pull off sincerity and empathy like nobody's business.  Plus, he had the look.  He could play funny when necessary, but television wanted him for the drama.  The emotion.  And no role is more fondly remembered than his portrayal of James in the iconic TV series... "James At 15."  (1977-78) “James At 15”  was a quiet show about a nice ordinary school-aged

TCCDM Dig and Flip: "The Girl On The Train" (2015)

Image
"The Girl On The Train" - Paula Hawkins (2015) 323 pages NO SPOILERS: The story is told through the eyes of three women.  But mostly, this is Rachel..." the girl on the train's"...story to tell.  Rachel is a really messed up piece of work.  Recently divorced, depressed and a bit delusional about life in general.  Plus she's struggling with a pretty good drinking problem.  She rides the train every day fantasizing about this and that when she sees something a bit unusual while passing by a house she has passed hundreds of times before.  And decides to get involved. It's a fustercluck of strange choices she makes on her attempts to find closure, but putting all that aside, the mystery/thriller is fascinating and a lot of fun.  Paula Hawkins , with her best-selling debut novel, does an especially fine job showing Rachel's struggle with alcohol,  It really rings true.  Unfortunately, the payout at the end was a bit of a lowball and co

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Elephant Mountain" (1969)

Image
"Elephant Mountain" - The Youngbloods (1969) The Youngbloods were a three-man band at this point.  The album is all very folk-rockish with a light shadow of floaty jazz passing by.  This album steps out of the comfort zone of what Youngblood fans might expect.  There is a kind of "get on board or just don't hang around” attitude about it.  Musicians are taking risks.  Eclectic ideas are dared.  It's a nice chill for the recliner.  I don't know much about The Youngbloods apart from their hippie anthem, "Get Together" and there ain't any of that happening here.  I was never a fan of that particular song anyway, so no foul.  Apart from the great opening track... “Darkness Darkness”  (starts slow and rolls to a rush.)...there is a variety of floaty psych ideas slithering throughout the music, as well.  Often creating surprising vibes in the process.   "Sham"  is another one bringing the stuff.  Plus there are two instrumentals.  N

I Went...SI--SI--SIRIUS...All The Way Home (again)

Image
(a short jaunt) "Maybe I’m A Leo" - Deep Purple / "Machine Head" (1972) If the song had been called...“Baby I'm a Leo” instead of "Maybe I'm A Leo" ...it would've sounded like some sorta macho bullshit.  Would've been an easy mistake, but the right choice was made.  This is a funky, kick-ass underrated song.  And we would probably think more of it, but the song had to follow “Highway Star” so whaddyagonnado?   Blackmore and Lord were a helluva team.  They still liked each other.  It's almost become chic now to cast aspersions on “Machine Head” ...but this 1972 barnburner still rocks harder than Zeppelin's 1973 “Houses of the Holy” offering.  (Oh, no he didunt!).  “Machine Head“ was Purple's sixth studio album. "Time Out Of Mind" - Steely Dan / "Gaucho" (1980) Never heard this album all the way through, but I'm certainly very familiar with “Hey Nineteen” and “Babylon Sister” wh

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."The Boston Tea Party" (1968)

Image
"The Boston Tea Party" - The Boston Tea Party (1968) The Boston Tea Party  was a band from...California.   They're often labeled as garage-psych but that's being overly generous.  The album is mostly straight-up garage pop-rock.  It's good garage stuff, though.  There's plenty of catchy songs with smart lyrics and a tasty organ push.  To be fair, there are a few songs that have dustings of pop-psych edginess.  You'll notice when they come around.  Nothing to get hung about, but they're pretty cool.  The album is much better than the revolutionary clothes they're wearing.  I'm just being a little snarky because that's all part of what makes this period of music so endearing.  I'm cool with it.  By the way, while I was spinning this square, I was dancing The Frug all afternoon with Goldie Hawn .  Okay, I was all by myself.  But if Goldie's down, tell her I have a small can of glow-in-the-dark body paint, too.   The Boston Tea Pa

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Link Wray" (1971)

Image
"Link Wray" - Link Wray (1971) This isn't commercial in any way and yet it sounds like something special.  It's very rootsy and pure.  And everything just flows naturally.  The album, at times, has a wonderful Stonesy vibe, sounding much like the "Glimmer Twins” when they put their country-blues spin on.  And it's not at all hard imagining Keith Richards grinning like a Cheshire cat all over this album.  Link Wray may not have given us a masterpiece, but spinning this album today, almost 50 years since being released, tells that it has aged extremely well.  This is a pretty strong hoss.  Not bad for an album virtually ignored when it came out. The opening track... "La De Da" ...sets the table with funky Stones groove followed by some swampy country blues and rock.  There are no Link Wray instrumentals, of which he is best known (“Rumble” ) ...but “God Out West” rocks out nicely with some nice fuzz reminding everyone he can still weld a

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Acquiring The Taste" (1971)

Image
"Acquiring The Taste" - Gentle Giant  (1971) The first time I played "Acquiring The Taste" I really liked it.  A few days later I played the album again and loved it!  The Allman Brothers wanted you to eat a peach.  Gentle Giant preferred you settle back and lick one.  This is some tasty (no pun) early prog from that little old band from London.  I'm just a caveman.  I'm no expert on the ways of prog.  But I enjoy the early stuff and this, the band's 2nd album, is amazing.  There are wonderful little Easter egg surprises in every song.  A variety of instruments are nicely incorporated.  Apparently, someone is playing a donkey jaw...(I had to google to see if that was really a thing.  It is.)  But my point is that with everything thrown in the pot...nothing sounds forced or contrived. This is a good album for those wanting to dip their toe in the prog water.  From needle drop to label,  Gentle Giant takes us on a wonderful journey.  The opening

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."(Turn On) The Music Machine" (1966 - Rei 2017)

Image
"(Turn On) The Music Machine" - The Music Machine (1966 - Rei 2017) The Music Machine was a 60s garage rock band with pop-catchy songs, but with an edgier streetwise attitude.  Even the psych truck has dusted a few songs mostly with some mid-eastern guitar tones.  Not a whole lot, but you notice it when it comes around.  Very cool.  I like the clever cover with the lone gloved hand reaching up to twist the dial and always thought it stood out.  The band was cool, too.  Their clothes were all black. Their hair was all black. And they each wore one black glove on stage.  That was their thing and good for them. There are seven original songs written by  Sean Bonniwell , the band's singer/songwriter and they're all good.  “Talk Talk” was their killer break-out single, but not necessarily the best song on the album.  "The People In Me" is an edgy psych gem.  ”Masculine Intuition” (what a clever title) has a unique turn and “Trouble” rocks out.   The d