The College Crowd Digs Me

"Daughter Of Time" - Colosseum (1970)     This was Colosseum"s fourth studio album and not as psych-inspired as their classic "Valentyne Suite."  "Daughter Of Time" was a partial blind buy for me.  I knew that Coloseum bounced in the progressive realms of rock, but I'd never heard anything from this one.  I just knew this was early stuff and felt like taking a chance.  I'm not the biggest fan of prog rock, but I like it.  I just don't easily embrace the genre with open arms.  My ears are picky when it comes to this genre.  Probably more so than any other.  I can't exactly pin a tail on what moves me, I just like what I like. With that out of the way, "Daughter Of Time" is mostly a good spin for me.  There are a lot of ideas in the eight songs on this square, but nothing too bloated.  Coloseum throws a mix of instruments into the batter, but in mostly restrained doses.  Nothing jarring.  Jazz-rock rubs shoul...

"The Buddy Holly Story" Soundtrack  (1978)     If you weren't a Buddy Holly  fan before seeing this movie...you were one walking out.  Gary Busey was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of the title character and deservedly so.  Busey performed all of the songs himself and the cat was workin' it.  Apparently, he recorded the soundtrack music live in the studio.  And from his performance, Busey  wanted everyone to love Buddy Holly as much as he did.   Surprisingly, for me anyway, actors  Charles Martin Smith and D on Stroud played their own instruments, as well.  So there was plenty of joy   in Mudville to go around.  The film's telling of  Buddy Holly  may have had a few historical inaccuracies, but it's a good one.  And you have to admit Gary Busey  did a more than solid job delivering these songs.  This soundtrack is a fun square to spin. "The Buddy H...

"The Adventures Of Robert Savage, Volume 1" - Robert Savage (1971)     Robert Savage was made up of a power trio that rode into town to make some tasty hard acid rock.  And I don't know where they were hiding, but for 1971, this bad boy is a banger's treat.  Fresh ideas fill the speakers.  Each song stands on its own legs.  Nothing sounds repetitive or tired.  And for an unknown commodity, while maybe a little unpolished, "The Adventures Of Robert Savage" is a square that sounds like a dark horse, for sure.  Obviously, not as recognizable as peers of the era, but this is still a pretty strong hoss.  And it's definitely one I'll reach for when I need some crankage chewing on the ears. "The Adventures of Robert Savage, Volume 1" is filled with nine tracks of various ideas both entertaining and different, while never straying away from the acid pool.  Robert Savage paints blistering guitar burns and runs in just the right measures...

"A Lovely Sight" - Pisces (1969 - Archival 2009)     The lysergic journey one takes from the spinning of "A Lovely Sight" is one of ominous wonder and tension.  The music has an edgy ambiance that never quite lets go.  Even the gentlest of songs are never quite what they appear.  The lyrics are delightfully surprising without being weird for weird's sake.  Studio chicanery is used in perfect moderation to throw rushes at the listener. From Illinois... Pisces oozes with studio confidence and charm that belies their anonymity.  The psychedelic embellishments are used in measured doses that season tracks rather than drown them.  However, there is an unintentional Spinal Tap moment on here that is cool for what it is, I suppose, but it can't avoid the stamp.  The vocals, both male and female, add nice yin and yang to the circular experience.  Lovers of psych will especially want to take this square out for a spin.  Not hard...

"Spaceship Earth" - Sugarloaf (1971)     I was surprised at how much I enjoyed spinning this biscuit.  Sugarloaf's sophomore effort sounds fresh and nostalgic at the same time.  Delightful in its unassuming way.  Prog and psych dustings season the early 70s hard rock palette and rural country hippy swag.   As the album cover suggests, there is nothing flashy-ma-tashy on here.  Nothing to get hung about.  But the musicianship and harmonies are quite good and the tracks hold your ears from needle drop to lift.  The album practically begs you to grab a piece of chair on the porch. "Spaceship Earth" - Sugarloaf (back) Favorites include: " Tongue In Cheek" ...a  "really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really"  good jam. " Spaceship Earth" and "Hot Water" are dusted with light psych. "Mother Nature's Wine" ... gives off "Green Eyed Lady" vibrations. This copy has a corner-cut gatefo...

"Black And White" - Tony Joe White (1969)     Tony Joe White is bringing some funky swamp rock and soulful swamp rock to the house.  Greasy biscuits and gravy.  This was his debut album, and though better squares were yet to come, "Black and White" was a straight arrow pointed in the right direction.  I mean, let's face it, "Polk Salad Annie" lays a lava-hot foundation as it is.  But besides that gem, there are several other tasty nuggets to go digging for on this one, Side one is a strong hoss of originals with surprising flourishes of psych.  Side two are pretty good cover songs.  You'll enjoy his take, but side one is definitely the pool you'll want to swim in first.  Tony Joe  sounds like a papa lion passing down stories to his pride.  That baritone timbre is hard to resist. "Black And White" - Tony Joe White (back) Favorites include: "Polk Salad Annie" "Willie and Laura Mae Jones" "Soul Francisco...

"The Friends Of Mr. Cairo" - Jon And Vangelis (1981)     I was always a fan of the title track, yet never knew the name of the dang song until recently.  I remember hearing it several years ago for the first time while coming back from doing stand-up at CHOCS in Tulsa.  About a three-hour drive.  A distance, for sure, but I was bubbling over with silly ideas then and wanted to try a few of'em out.   CHOCS in Tulsa, OK I've only heard this song a handful of times since.  Once in a very blue moon.  But when the song  "The Friends Of Mr. Cairo"  came on the radio, the unedited version, during my after-midnight drive back home...my head was hypnotized.  And for the next 12 minutes, I was driving while blind.  I was on autopilot bliss. "The Friends Of Mr. Cairo" was Jon and Vangelis's second album. (The duo released four.)  And nothing compares to the title track homage to the old-era films.  Overall, the albu...