The College Crowd Digs Me

"The Silent Land"  by Graham Joyce (2010) Hardcover, 262 pages NO SPOILERS: Curling up with " The Silent Land"  is a lot like watching a trippy episode of "Black Mirror."   The story is both eerie and atmospheric with very off-kilter vibes.  Very little can be written without giving too much away, but suffice it to say, a young romantic couple on a ski vacation gets caught up in an avalanche.  Graham Joyce cleverly creates a very claustrophobic world void of almost any sounds and then covers it with snow and spooky, ominous goings-on.  It's a very easy read, and perfect for the cold, wintry nights ahead.  I was also delighted with the beautiful dust jacket design.  It has a frosted transparent cover with gray letters on the jacket and black letters on the book.  It's a very cool and unusual presentation and the extra effort is appreciated. "Winter Time" - Steve Miller / "Book Of Dreams" (1977) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow...

"Livin' Love" - The Feminine Complex (1969) The Feminine Complex were five high school girls from Tennessee and historically one of the earliest all-girl rock and roll groups on the scene.  Playing their own instruments and singer/guitarist  Mindy Dalton writing most of the songs, their music was a spectrum of catchy garage pop-rock and dreamy, melancholic ballads with some soft psych nuggets thrown into the mix.  The band was all hot pants and high boots and high energy on stage for those lucky enough to have seen them.  Apparently. they toned it down somewhat for their lone album, "Livin' Love," but the square is still filled with infectious energy and commitment.  And I found it quite enjoyable. "Livin' Love" - The Feminine Complex (back) The band is also listed in The Acid Archives , but the review is a little bit misleading.  The album is described as being "horn-led pop" and that is just so not true.  Horns show up on a cou...

  "Home" (front) This was a blind buy.  It was $8 and it looked interesting enough to take a chance.  Plus the back cover mentioned guitarist Leslie West as a guest musician on one of the songs.  Felix Pappelardi was the producer.  Turns out  Jolliver Arkansaw was really the psych band... Bo Grumpus .  When the band changed labels from ATCO to Bell Records, for some legal reason or other, the band was forced to also change their name.  So the band from New York, via Boston, went with the name Jolliver Arkansaw .  Whaddyagonnado? Anyway, "Home" wound up being a surprising chance purchase.  The music is catchy and rocks pretty hard with a rural garage attitude.  There is occasional psych dustings on a couple of songs as well.  Side two is the stronger spin with Leslie West playing nice on the closing track... "Gray Afternoon."   The fuzzier  "Lisa My Love" is heavy with a Hendrix vibe all over it.  The ...

"...if you were prone to stage fright... then you were in the wrong occupation." ~ Pete Agnew ~         “Heartbreaker, soul shaker.”   Nazareth's  classic hard rock album “Hair Of The Dog” (1975) has just celebrated its 45th anniversary.  Filled with blistering rock gems and a definitive power ballad,  “Hair Of The Dog” is a no-filler must-own square.    Dan McCafferty's scorching vocals. Manny Charlton's guitar burns.  The drumming of Darrell Sweet .  The tight, low-down bass runs from Pete Agnew.  Together...they made a little rock and roll magic.  Nazareth has been rollin' the ball since their self-titled debut album in 1971.  After 24 albums, (the last being their 2018 barnburner "Tattooed On My Brain") ... Pete Agnew is the only member to have played on every single one.  But it is “Hair Of The Dog” that has cemented Nazarerth's place on shelves of rock and roll ass-kickery....

" Ars Nova" -  Ars Nova (1968) I didn't dislike Ars Nova's debut album, but the wow factor was fairly low.  Nothing bad, but nothing stands out either.  There are a few Baroquish tracks that have occasional low-bottom brass and a Medieval presence that throws off a bit of a time-traveling vibe.  There are subtle hints of psych ghosts yet-to-come...but they never stay for very long.  I'm glad I picked it up, but I'm not sure how often I'll play it. "Ars Nova" (back) The band sometimes sound like they might've kicked some dirt wandering through the English countryside, but they are just good-ol' New York boys.  The guys look dark and foreboding on the front cover.  If only the album had more of that attitude.  Favorites are the opener  "Pavan For My Lady."     The most psych-ish track... " And How Am I To Know" ...is a grower that whips itself up into a nice, if short, fuzz-burner midway through the spin.  And the clo...

"Superman: Birthright" by Mark Waid - Leinil Francis Yu - Gerry Alanguilan DC Comics (2005) 314 pages (I stumbled upon a good-sized box filled with a variety of graphic novels at an estate sale. No official count as I've just been pulling from the box when I find time to read one.) "Superman: Birthright" is the retelling of the origin of Clark Kent, aka Superman.  Mark Waid has updated the story for fresh eyes and does an excellent job laying the groundwork for our hero.  I've never been a huge fan of heroes that are omnipotent or nearly so, but the author wisely chooses to hook his readers by first letting us see our hero as a fairly cool, somewhat flawed, ordinary guy.  Not the dork I had come to believe.  By the time Clark puts on the red "S"...we're rooting for the dude.  The author also does an excellent job of introducing the mad genius Lex Luthor to the story.  In this telling, Lex went to the same school as Clark Kent and were friends...

"Circus Maximus" - Circus Maximus (1967) The Circus Maximus self-titled debut album is psych-tinged garagey folk-rock.  It has occasional freakouts and the tracks sound bright and loose with jangling guitars reminiscent a little of mid-period Byrds or Beau Brummels  The music is catchy and original.  The group is notable for having Jerry Jeff Walker in the band, but their other songwriter, Bob Bruno is the stronger of the two on this square.  Pushing things forward with a more biting, psych-driven edge.  The band was originally called the Lost Sea Dreamers, but Vanguard Records nixed that idea because the initials "LSD" was linked to the drug. "Circus Maximus" (back) Favorites are the keyboard-burner... "Short Haired Fathers."    The dark and ominous  "Chess Game."   And the dreamy 8-minute headspin.... "Wind" ...is like nothing else on the album.  Floaty and jazzy and just an outstanding late-night drive song.  The song ...