Willy & The Poor Boys – CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL****

Down On The Corner/It Came Out Of The Sky/Cotton Fields/Poorboy Shuffle/Feelin’ Blue/Fortunate Son/Don’t Look Now(It Ain’t You Or Me)/The Midnight Special/Side O’ The Road/Effigy

Creedence Clearwater Revival were firing on all cylinders in 1969 with this third album release of the year. Willy & The Poor Boys includes the US No. 3 Down On The Corner and No. 14 Fortunate Son. (US:3 UK:10)

“This is rock ‘n’ roll at its absolute best. Cracking track followed by cracking track almost all the way through, a real tour de force of brilliant songwriting. Fogerty’s on fantastic vocal form as ever and the band are rockin’ and a rollin’ as much as ever.”

“Great 60s rock album. It starts and ends great and never really lets down. The band really has its way of writing catchy and gripping rockers and ballads as well, and it never seems too much. I think the only flaw that I have with it is that apart from Down On The Corner, Cotton Fields and Fortunate Son, the songs are more on the edge of good instead of great.”

“Very few bands released as many great singles in such a short period of time without having much of a slip up. Down On The Corner and Fortunate Son are the obvious winners here, the latter being the greatest song the band ever recorded. It's so brilliant and political while still remaining catchy and fun. Lyrically all of the songs are very simple, but very memorable.”

“Fogerty was absolutely on fire in '69, and at the peak of his creative genius. There's not a dud song anywhere to be found. Just classic after classic, from the impossibly catchy Down On The Corner through the soulful Feelin' Blue, the raging Fortunate Son through to the epic Effigy. A band at the absolute peak of their powers.”

“You want an album chock full of Americana with a coherent, dirty, bluesy, grimy, unbridled rock 'n' roll sound to which you can swig bourbon and party into the wee hours on a Saturday night? Look no further than Willy & The Poor Boys.”

“The band sound even more at home with their sound and Fogerty's creativity was stoked by the blistering pace at which he was creating new material.”

Touching You Touching Me – NEIL DIAMOND***

Everybody’s Talkin’/Mr Bojangles/Smokey Lady/Holly Holy/Both Sides Now/And The Singer Sings His Song/Ain’t No Way/New York Boy/Until Its Time For You to Go

Neil Diamond was a major creative songwriting talent from the mid 1960s to early 1970s so it is disappointing that here he was still relying heavily on covers. Touching You Touching Me includes the US No. 6 hit single Holly Holy. (US:30)

“There are a few decent numbers on here, like his cover of Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now, the single Holly Holy plus And The Singer Sings His Song. The rest of the tracks foreshadow the kind of fluff Diamond would soon pioneer, minus the powerhouse vocals.”

“It is hard to understand why Neil Diamond was doing so many cover versions on an album during a time when he was writing so many hits, he had songs to spare.”

“After the entirely self-composed Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show album, it appears that Diamond was almost written out. Certainly the five originals on offer here show either a sharp decline in ability or a songwriter in need of a break. By another artist Touching You Touching Me might be considered a fair stop-gap work. Coming from the author of the magnificent Just For You or Velvet Gloves & Spit albums, it must be considered a serious deterioration in judgement.”

“Let's face it, some of the songs Neil Diamond performs on Touching You Touching Me were written by other artists. But when he sings them he really makes them come to life. His own compositions are the best, like the up-tempo Smokey Lady, the religious Holly Holy, the touching And The Singer Sings His Song and the country bumpkin tones of New York Boy. Every song's a winner here, which makes this a must buy.”

“Touching You Touching Me is a very good LP with many covers performed by the awesome Neil Diamond. He can take a song and breathe new life into it in a way that very few other contemporary artists can, and he tackles many different types of songs which proves his versatility.”

“This is one of the best Neil Diamond albums. His Uni material was his strongest and best work. An outstanding album and one I would highly recommend.”

Swiss Movement – LES MCCAN & EDDIE HARRIS***

Compared To What/Cold Duck Time/Kathleen’s Theme/You Got It In Your Soulness/The Generation Gap

Swiss Movement is the recording of Les McCann and Eddie Harris after they decided that their respective bands should combine to play together for a session at the Montreux Jazz Festival in July 1969. (US:29)

“Jazz at its live best, as it often happens in Montreux. Yes, there are imperfections, but no improvised jam I've ever heard has the same bundled power as this, with two edgy, belting horns and some nifty piano work by the band leader.”

“Get it for the tour de force performance of McCann's Compared To What, but stick with it for some of the best funky jazz ever. If you aren't groovin' by The Generation Gap, then someone has to check your pulse to determine if you're still with us.”

“The soul jazz anti-establishment anthem Compared To What is a true classic of a song, performed with inspiration that only a live setting could provide. The last three songs are all good, but don't quite return to the level of the first one. Eddie Harris plays well throughout. Still, this is one funky record overall.”

“Les McCann's Trio and the Eddie Harris Quartet were both on the bill for the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival and the two of them decided right then and there to play together later in the week. American trumpeter Benny Bailey, now under European residence, was also at Montreux, and Eddie and Les asked him to be a part of the group. The result was this album, a live impromptu performance that gets a little rough and ragged at times, but is usually the first thing to come to mind when I think of soul-jazz. As loose as it is, I admire Les and Eddie for coming up with an original program of material, rather than playing it safe and coasting through well-known standards. It's hard not to appreciate a group which had no prior knowledge of any of the material, and to have it coming out sounding as lively as it does here.”

“In the field of soul-jazz, it really doesn't get much better than this album. Naturally, it's jazz, but with just the right amount of soul and funk mixed in. It's a thoroughly enjoyable listen. The opener Compared To What is brilliant, maybe the best souljazz I've ever heard. The vocals are urgent, incendiary and unforgettable. The rest of the album is predominantly instrumental, but the same vaguely funky, swinging souljazz groove is in evidence throughout.”

Skin Alley – SKIN ALLEY***

Living In Sin/Tell Me/Mother Please Help Your Child/Marsha/Country Aire/All Alone/Night Time/Concerto Grosso (Take Heed)/(Going Down The) Highway

Self titled debut album from the British progressive group Skin Alley. It is an eclectic mixture of psychedelic, blues and jazz with prominent use of flute and organ.

“This is strictly keyboard prog, but it works. The tracks are well written, basic songs that foray into organ solos and turn corners with interesting interludes.”

“They pull off a sound that brings in elements of psychedelia and blues. They are a solid progressive band that somehow eluded the spotlight that shone on the acts that we now know as legends.”

“The intro track, Living In Sin, promises a very entertaining album. However, the rest of the LP is a very eclectic mix of styles that does not generate much energy. Maybe progressive, but it does not rock all that much.”

“This is melodic progressive rock that tends heavily to flute, Hammond organ, harpsichord, some mellotron, with nice creative passages to go with it. Living In Sin is a wonderful opening cut.”

“Very good jazz flavoured prog, featuring sax, organ and guitar. The album probably represents their zenith. It was all downhill from here.”

“Quite a daring sound for 1969, Skin Alley mixed psychedelic rock and jazz rock with some symphonic flute led parts to present a fully fledged proto-progressive rock style, often with a dark sound. With an obvious tendency towards long instrumental passages, their compositions are characterized by psychedelic organ sounds, driving flutes, bluesy guitar work and the jazzy rhythm section. These elements are often blended with jamming sax parts in a free music form, together with good vocals. Along with the organ, one can detect some really decent effort on mellotron and harpsichord in a couple of the more classical inspired tracks, as well as some jazzy piano lines.”

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – SOUNDTRACK****

We Have All The Time In The World/This Never Happened To The Other Feller/Try/Ski Chase/Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown/Main Theme-On Her Majesty’s Secret Service/Journey To Blofeld’s Hideaway/ We Have All The Time In The World/Over & Out/Battle At Piz Gloria/We Have All The Time In The World –James Bond Theme

Soundtrack album for the movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service starring George Lazenby as the new James Bond, with Diana Rigg as female support. Includes We Have All The Time In The World by Louis Armstrong, a UK No. 3 hit single 25 years later in 1994. (US:103)

“The score for On Her Majesty's Secret Service is in one word, brilliant. John Barry has created what many consider to be the best score for any James Bond film. The music sounds so crisp and perfect. The instrumental title song is filled with slam-bang synthesizers that actually make the song sound better without a singer. Louis Armstrong performs the undeniably wonderful We Have All The Time In The World, which is a slow romantic piece, now regarded as a classic.”

“Great music. I've always enjoyed John Barry's work on the Bond movies and he didn't disappoint here from the song sung by Louis Armstrong to the various cues.”

“Barry's themes and music in this score hit on the usual tones and styles he'd established for the secret agent films. The introduction of 'modern' sounds cured the rather archaic tone the films had acquired in the seven short years from the first outing in 1962. Some might argue that the synthesizer was overused in this score, but you can't fault Barry for anchoring the film's score in the present, rather than some movie-preserved past.”

“The sublime score for On Her Majesty's Secret Service is without a doubt one the very best. John Barry was one of the greats of film composing and this particular collection of music represents the pinnacle of his talent. A must have for all Bond fans and all fans of 60s movie soundtracks.”

“This soundtrack is a great one for John Barry and Bond fans alike. Barry's innovative use of the synthesizer is tastefully done and the tracks really showcase his talents of composing and arranging. The choice of Louis Armstrong to vocalize We Have All The Time In The World seems more judicious with the passage of time.”

Live Peace In Toronto – PLASTIC ONO BAND**

Introduction/Blue Suede Shoes/Money (That’s What I Want)/Dizzy Miss Lizzie/Yer Blues/Cold Turkey/Give Peace A Chance/Don’t Worry Kyoko/John John (Let’s Hope For Peace)

Live Peace In Toronto captured John Lennon and a hastily assembled group of musicians in a raw rare live outing at Toronto's Rock and Roll Revival Festival in September 1969. There is no doubting who was the weakest link on this performance. (US:10)

“Lennon's makeshift band during this performance consists of Eric Clapton on guitar, Klaus Voorman on bass, Alan White (later to become famous in the band Yes) on drums and of course, Yoko Ono.”

“Side one is beyond awesome. Lennon and his band (with Clapton on guitar) rip through six tracks of raw and bluesy rock and roll. You find yourself listening to one sensational rock album. From Blue Suede Shoes to Lennon Beatles standards from the early days Dizzy Miss Lizzy and Money. Yer Blues is followed by Cold Turkey which was new at the time. Then it’s the turn of Give Peace A Chance and unfortunately that's where anything resembling music ends. Side two is about twenty minutes of Yoko screaming away. Yoko ruined a lot of great Lennon albums.”

“The album is not very polished but it has its moments. It's the first time Give Peace A Chance was performed. Side one has some familiar tunes done in a rather raw style. Side two, however, contains only two songs, which primarily feature Yoko's unique singing style and the band jamming along. Frankly, I haven't ever listened to the second side all the way through.”

“Live Peace in Toronto would've been so fantastic. John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman and Alan White all in the same band. But then Yoko Ono had to be added in - she ruined the album. Her wails add nothing to the performance.”

“A raucous thirteen minute finale entitled John John Let's Hope For Peace which features Yoko's torturous howling, accompanied by droning screeching guitar feedback from the instruments of Lennon, Clapton and Voorman, along with White randomly making fills across his drum kit when he can. The show ends with Yoko bleating out a series of high-pitched screams while John Lennon and the rest of the band leave their instruments against their amplifiers before walking off the stage. After Yoko bellows her last breath, it's the sound of solid feedback which follows.”

Live/Dead – THE GRATEFUL DEAD**

Dark Star/Saint Stephen/The Eleven/Turn On Your Love Light/Death Don’t Have No Mercy/Feedback/And We Bid You Goodnight

A very clever title for the first live Grateful Dead album recorded at the Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco and Fillmore West in early 1969. The double LP Live/Dead gives the listener exactly what to expect from a Grateful Dead concert, and therein lies the problem. (US:64)

“Live/Dead is a brilliant album that beautifully documents The Grateful Dead at their best in the live setting during this era. The musicianship is beautiful and crisp; Jerry Garcia's voice sounds pristine and Phil Lesh's performance on bass is outstanding. As for the song selection, it showcases the band's diverse set of influences, from jazz, to free improvisations, to rock and blues.”

“This is so very typical of their output during this period, featuring their standard improvisations infinitum and endless noodling. Some of this sounds great, some, substantially less interesting.”

“A lot of people get lost on side B with the boring Death. And many people cannot handle stuff like feedback.”

“I don't like this album, after listening to Working Man's Dead and American Beauty I was expecting that crisp organic musicianship. However, all I found was a lot of time being wasted. Classic early Dead, but probably only for deadheads and the like.”

“My problems with Live/Dead are encapsulated within the first track, Dark Star. Here, the band take a good, six minute song and stretch it out to 23+ minutes without actually adding anything interesting to it. There are only a few bands talented enough to make me want to listen to 17 minutes of jamming and The Dead are nowhere near that level. St. Stephen, by contrast, is a great little song. Clocking in at six minutes, it isn’t exactly the pinnacle of precision and efficiency, but the looseness actually adds to its charms. Beyond that, the rest of the songs are nice, but they are stretched far beyond their breaking points, making the whole proposition a waste of time.”

“The music on Live Dead is powerful and throbbing, but at the same time mellow with a mystical, playful, sentimental sense that transports one to another world.”

Liege & Lief – FAIRPORT CONVENTION****

Come All Ye/Reynardine/Matty Groves/Farewell Farewell/The Deserter/The Lark In The Morning-Rakish Paddy- Foxhunter’s Jig-Toss The Feathers (Medley)/Tam Lin/Crazy Man Michael

Fairport Convention's Liege & Lief is considered to have launched the British electric folk rock movement. The group would soon suffer a loss of direction with the departure of vocalist Sandy Denny. (UK:14)

“This, Fairport's best album, played a lead role in kick starting the British folk rock movement and it remains a key point of reference for lovers of the genre. Rest assured, there is not a duff track on this masterpiece. What follows is a veritable banquet of classic song after classic tune. This is the sound of a band at a creative peak and the album sounds as fresh and vital now as it did upon its release.”

“This is among Fairport's best, with rockers and ballads deeply rooted in traditional songs. Sandy Denny's vocals are haunting throughout, and Richard Thompson's guitar stellar and stinging, but always within the Brit-folk and Celtic idiom here - no Dylan covers or contemporary rockers. The lead instrument throughout is really Dave Swarbrick's ever-present fiddle, which snakes in and out of the melodies and dances with Thompson and Denny.”

“While Fairport Convention has made many fine albums, Liege & Lief is their best effort. There is not one weak track on the whole LP. A spectacular performance by Sandy Denny and the band is instrumentally note perfect.”

“Fairport Convention's Liege & Lief is an exciting folk rock album, probably the best in the genre of folk-rock. Each track conveys a mood of 'rolling minstrels' telling tall tales of kings and queens, cut-throats and peasants, and sad tales of the insane. Everyone shines on this album, from Sandy Denny's haunting vocals, to Richard Thompson's guitar, to Dave Swarbrick's shredding violin. This album is a masterpiece.”

“On Liege & Lief Fairport Convention made their definitive break away from previous 60s folk rock precedents. It is spoken of as a groundbreaking album, but the real inventiveness rests in the arrangements rather than in the compositions themselves, with mellow electric guitar solos and the like being worked into the mix so naturally, you'd have imagined these songs were originally composed for electric instruments.”

The Exquisite - NANA MOUSKOURI***

Hello Love/The Last Rose Of Summer/Dance Till Your Shoes Fall Off/Oh I Had A Golden Thread/Il N'est Jamais Trop Tard Pour Vivre/Day Is Done/Prelude/Love Minus Zero-No Limit/Les Parapluies De Cherbourg/The 59th Bridge Street Song/From Both Sides Now/Kathe Trello Pedi

Greek songstress Nana Mouskouri was a familiar face on British TV screens during the early 1970s. Her Exquisite album features several foreign language songs. (UK:10)

"Having two different vocal cords since birth means her voice is not just beautiful, it's distinctive. I was expecting to enjoy her hits, having heard them when she first made them. I didn't know how I would find the rest, but I've been impressed, as has everyone who has heard this LP. This is easy listening that is hard not to listen to attentively, such is the beauty of her voice."

"This is an ideal LP for those who do not have an extensive collection of Nana's older songs. As usual Nana's voice manages to take you out of your world of worries. A great purchase for any collection."

"It's rare nowadays to find such a clear and strong sounding vocal and I must admit have a goose bump each time I hear Nana Mouskouri. An excellent LP for a romantic evening too. Highly recommend it for connoisseurs."

"Nana Mouskouri is a household name. It's a really good LP for those who are fairly new to Nana's music, and a must for her fans if only to remind ourselves of the breadth of her performances."

"She has a very beautiful voice and never seems to need to scream or shout at her audience. It is a pleasant experience re-discovering Nana Mouskouri."

"The commanding majority is in English but you can also listen to her sing in French, and Greek. And the amazing thing is that each time you listen to her in any of the languages, you have the feeling that each one of them is her mother tongue."

Let It Bleed – THE ROLLING STONES*****

Gimme Shelter/Love In Vain/Country Honk/Live With Me/Let It Bleed/Midnight Rambler/You Got The Silver/ Monkey Man/You Can’t Always Get What You Want

The world’s most popular rock group The Rolling Stones were at their creative peak in the late 1960s and Let It Bleed explains why. Country Honk is a variation on their transatlantic No. 1 hit Honky Tonk Women. (US:3 UK:1)

“The Rolling Stones landmark 1969 masterpiece Let It Bleed is a highly influential album that drastically affected the course of rock music. This album has some of the greatest songs The Stones ever recorded, and Mick and Keith have never sounded better. It was also the darkest album they recorded, the perfect stormy, tumultuous finale to the raging 1960s. It's the perfect record of when the Summer of Love turned to evil and America lost it's mind. It's just an utterly perfect window into the heart of darkness, and must own for any rock fan.”

"Let it Bleed finds The Rolling Stones at their absolute creative peak. Though it was released as part of a string of masterpiece albums the band recorded between 1968 and 1972, the argument can be made that Bleed stands ever so slightly above the rest.”

“Anyone with a pair of working ears and good taste would have to place Let It Bleed in the very top tier of Rolling Stones albums, and thus among the greatest rock albums ever made. No doubt about it, this is a classic, from the first note to the last.”

“Let It Bleed comes in the middle of that 'creative high' that most bands probably aim for, where not only do the critics and audiences rave over every new release, but the finished product is guaranteed to generate a tremendous profit as well.”

“Keith Richards' bluesy guitar squawk and Mick Jagger's sleazy ramblin' talk, as well as the overt references to drugs throughout the album, cemented their bad-boys-of rock image that had only been hinted at on previous recordings. It is a rare album without a weak track.”

“This is one of the greatest masterpieces of the richest era of rock 'n' roll, such as we may never see again. Let It Bleed is easily a candidate for The Stones best album.”

Town & Country – HUMBLE PIE***

Take Me Back/The Sad Bag Of Shaky Jake/The Light Of Love/Cold Lady/Down Home Again/Ollie Ollie/Every Mother’s Sun/Heartbeat/Only You Can See/Silver Tongue/Home & Away

Town & Country was a quick follow up album from the British blues rock group Humble Pie. Compared with their debut this is softer and more acoustic with much less of the hard rockin’ blues.

“This one is often dismissed for not being the loud and raucous bar band rock of their more well known releases. Although I like them too, this one is unique in their catalogue with its mostly soft and subtle, introspective type of material. What it lacks in energy, it makes up for in quality. Well worth seeking out, if for no other reason than to see what else they were capable of.”

“Clearly more a reflection of Frampton's idealism than his partner Marriott, this is still a fantastic effort from Humble Pie. Marriott never sounded more subdued and focused than he did on this album, which in my opinion makes his contributions here some of his best.”

“This is definitely Humble Pie lite. Some nice moments here which take you back to the late '60s. Has that rural optimistic feel to it on a lot of the tracks. Includes a gangbuster cover of Heartbeat. However, I prefer their more solid and memorable debut and I have to replay this to remember it. Easy to forget, but nice all the same.”

“Great rhythm section, killer bass lines, searing leads traded back and forth by Marriott and Frampton, great vocals not only by Marriott but also an incredibly roughvoiced Frampton.”

“This was one of their two early records with the original line-up, including Peter Frampton. Overall, this is probably the Pie's quietest record, with a definite bent toward acoustic numbers. Frampton's songs hint at his early solo work to come. Marriott quits screaming for long enough to contribute some fine numbers. The album ends with a flourish. One wishes Frampton and Marriott had truly collaborated more after hearing this.”

“This album tried to meet in the middle between Marriott’s boogie and blues and Frampton’s more melodic interludes. The mix is very interesting and Marriot even manages to throw in a countryish song. All in all this is a very good album.”

Spirit In The Sky – NORMAN GREENBAUM***

Junior Cadillac/Spirit In The Sky/Skyline/Jubilee/Alice Bodine/Tars Of India/The Power/Good Lookin’ Woman/Milk Cow/Marcy

Spirit In The Sky was the debut album from the American singer-songwriter Norman Greenbaum. The unusual and distinctive title track for which he is best remembered reached No. 3 in the US and No. 1 in the UK. (US:23)

“The title track is simply the best use of fuzz guitar ever. It's a dynamo but what about the rest? Well, first that's the only track that uses that glorious guitar sound, the rest is primarily rootsy rock that is rather so-so. There are a few other tracks on here which are pretty good. Junior Cadillac is an alright white boy funk song. Marcy is a song that uses early synthesiser expertly and Good Lookin' Woman is a nice track, but the rest? Please leave them. You only really need that glorious title track.”

“The monster hit title track of this album represents, in my view, one of the very few times the mainstream actually got it right. Emerging from the ruins of San Francisco's Dr. West's Medicine Show, Greenbaum put together a rather diverse collection of material that makes the album difficult to pigeon-hole. From the highly psychedelic hit, to the mountain style jug band music, the album is a relative sleeper. Shame, because it's surprisingly good overall, and pretty consistent as well.”

“Of course Spirit In The Sky is the best song on this album. Overall, I think the remainder needed a bit more work done to them and for the arrangements to be edited a little. Other than that, it's an easy listening album for the most part.”

“A real buried treasure. Much more than the title track. Eclectic, quirky, fun and some gorgeous synthesizer-work.”

“Those looking to Greenbaum's solo debut for tracks that measure up to the cultural touchstone, Spirit In The Sky, are likely to be disappointed. The remaining tracks range from memorably melodic pop (Skyline) to gospel (Jubilee) to Tin-Pan Alley, to rock, blues and soul (including some nice horn charts and wah-wah guitar). The topics include many hippie lifestyle classics, such as farm life and dope smoking (Tars Of India).”

Completely Well – B. B. KING****

So Excited/No Good/You’re Losin’ Me/What Happened/Confessin’ The Blues/Key To My Kingdom/Cryin’ Won’t Help You Now/You’re Mean/The Thrill Is Gone

Completely Well is considered by his fans to be the best studio album released by the legendary bluesman B. B. King. It comprises upbeat blues mixed with some slow ballads. (US:38)

“Throughout the album, B.B. does a great job playing upbeat blues (You're Losin' Me and Confessin' The Blues) mixed with some slow ballads (Key To My Kingdom and What Happened). Not only do you get an all-out blues jam with You're Mean but you also get one of the greatest blues songs of all time with The Thrill Is Gone. This is what the blues is all about and it sounds wonderful with strings in the background.”

"The Thrill Is Gone has got to be one of the greatest blues songs ever recorded, performed and written. It is stellar. B.B's emotional, powerful vocal delivery and his guitar solo are so inspiring.”

“As far as studio albums go, Completely Well is the crowning achievement of B.B. Kings career. For a genre that is not known for production value, this has incredible production. Neither too raw nor too glossy. Just right. And the quality of songs is top notch. Where most blues musicians make the same album over and over again, this is on an entirely different level to that of his other studio albums. The songs are way stronger here. Besides it closes with The Thrill Is Gone, a song which is arguably the most famous and one of the top three blues songs ever written. Completely Well is a wonderful addition to any guitar lover or blues fans music collection.”

“One of B.B. King's best albums it is without question my favourite studio album of his. Despite being very active in the music scene for more than a decade, it was the release of Completely Well in 1969 which brought B.B. the notoriety and attention that he deserved. This album is a mix of blues and blues rock numbers, many being performed with horns and strings. Expect B.B. at his best here - a performance that rivals his acclaimed live albums. Completely Well finds him at the top of his game, both vocally and as a guitarist.”

“Completely Well has the three qualities needed for a classic blues album: great vocals, great musicianship and great tunes. B.B. has a voice like none other and it wails here. His singing is strong, expressive and very exercised.”

12 In A Roe – TOMMY ROE****

Sheila/Everybody/The Folk Singer/Party Girl/Carol/Sweet Pea/Hooray For Hazel/Its Now Winter’s Day/Dizzy/ Heather Honey/Jack & Jill/Jam Up & Jelly Tight

12 In A Roe was a well timed compilation from lightweight pop vocalist Tommy Roe, that includes his best remembered songs, released just before the hits started to dry up. (US:21)

“The timing of this release was perfect because he had just finished his run of hits and nothing is left out. None of this stuff is earth shattering material, but can be quite entertaining. Lots of good, if occasionally obvious, melodies that can stick in the head for quite awhile.”

“I'm surprised at how well it's stood the test of time. It may have been called bubblegum, but I consider it great pop music because of the catchy melodies and the slick production. This type of pop music sounds quite original and unique when compared to the colourless dross that rules the charts these days.”

“Although many would consider this 'bubble gum pop', I have to admit it's a pretty good compilation of songs by this artist. Catchy tunes and good vibes abound when listening to some of these tracks. A 'feel-good' album, for sure.”

“Tommy Roe put out some of the most uplifting music I have ever heard. Just makes you want to jump up and dance and sing along. I miss hearing a lot of these since the corporate radio stations took over.”

“While much of his music carries the bubble gum tag, the tunes are light and his voice is good. Sweet Pea, Hooray For Hazel, and Dizzy are cute songs for the era, whilst Jam Up & Jelly Tight is bouncy.”

“I wouldn't characterize Tommy Roe as 'the bubble gum king', but he did crank out some catchy, well produced pop-rock gems. Tunes like Sheila, Sweet Pea and Dizzy still hold up quite well, and Roe wrote or co-wrote much of his material.”

A=MH2 – CLARK-HUTCHINSON***

Improvisation On A Modal Scale/Acapulco Gold/Impromptu In E Minor/Textures In 3/4/Improvisation On An Indian Scale

A=MH2 was the debut album from the obscure British progressive duo Clark- Hutchinson. Comprising experimental instrumentals it mixed psychedelic rock and blues with Indian vibes.

“The late 1960s were a time of raw innovation, cultural blendings, genre bendings, and what-the-hell experiments. In A=MH2, Mick Hutchinson took the blues guitar stylings of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and blended them with the trance-inducing rhythmic pulse of Indian music. Ragas for blues guitar, in a word. The results were not entirely successful, but nonetheless proved highly influential.”

“This one consists of really lame, boring blues songs that for a prog-head like me are on the same level as country. By the next album these guys had a legitimate band instead of the twosome playing all the instruments, and maybe that's why they became so much better.”

“I like a lot the mix of psychedelic rock and Indian music, but this sometimes is as boring as it comes.”

“A lot of interesting guitar parts and engaging playing here but I can't make it through it all without losing interest as it's a bit long winded. Being all instrumental makes it even more ponderous because there's not enough within the tracks to keep it all from sounding rather samey.”

“Sometimes described as being progressive or psychedelic, but you'll be better served if you picture something with classical, Spanish-flamenco and Indian raga influences.”

“It was 1969, and in Britain, art rock was in the offing. Into this mix stepped Clark- Hutchinson with this all instrumental album of jazzy, slightly psychedelic rock improvisations, complete with pretentious titles. Everything is very modal, minorkeyed, and Eastern. The guitar is certainly the main attraction here, but it goes on rather too long. Overall, this is a pretty good album to space out to, but not something to set the world on fire.”

Birthday – THE PEDDLERS***

Where Have All The Flowers Gone/Little Red Rooster/Southern Woman/By The Time I Get To Phoenix/Girlie PS I Love You/Day In Day Out/City Living/Lockshen Pudding/Birth

The Peddlers were a British jazz-pop trio who gained a lot of airplay in the late 1960s but subsequently have been largely forgotten. Their third studio album Birthday was the most commercially successful. They were the kind of group that the trendy metropolitan over-30s of the time thought young people should be listening to. (UK:16)

“They are good instrumentalists, they are also very cheesy. For people who don't think David Clayton-Thomas is schmaltzy enough.”

“Great songs, classy, jazzy and masterful these guys are all superb musicians, ahead of their time in some respects with their sound.”

“What a fabulous sound. A band with real talent. A sound that will never age. They used to be known as the group the groups go to see, back in the sixties.”

“The Peddlers could be the absolute cool, or the cheesiest club band. You choose, I am still deciding. There is no denying the musicianship of these guys, it is faultless, but some of the standards, and slightly gimmicky playing, remind me of a rainy night in Blackpool.”

“They were the kind of jazz covers type band that used to proliferate in the late 60s early 70s. If you can overlook some lapses in taste, then this is an enjoyable romp through some good standards and a few originals. Approach with caution though, it is not really 'heavy' in any sense of the word, more like a fun romp or a relaxed evening in a chicken in a basket night club.”

“These guys have an originality that has never been copied or compromised. Great musicianship, unique arrangements, inspired playing.”

“I remember The Peddlers from the late sixties. They were a very exciting and classy club type band, just the thing for romantic couples. I love to hear those hypnotically mellow Hammond chords droning away in the background - there's nothing like it available to listen to today. The Peddlers had only a few years in the limelight, but their music was extremely good, a fusion of jazz, blues and pop.”

Best Of – TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS***

Ball Of Fire/Crystal Blue Persuasion/Mony Mony/(Baby Baby) I Can’t Take It No More/Hanky Panky/Crimson & Clover/Sweet Cherry Wine/Sugar On Sunday/Mirage/I Think We’re Alone Now

Compilation album from the lightweight US pop group Tommy James & The Shondells. Although a lot more popular in America they did achieve a British No. 1 with Mony Mony. (US:21)

“Frat Rock? Garage rock? Bubblegum rock? Call it what you will, but Tommy James and The Shondells put out a string of infectious hits during the second half of the sixties that are mainstays of classic rock radio stations around the country. And for good reason - these are terrific pop songs.”

“Everybody has probably heard at least a few of the tracks on this record, but every single one is worth listening to. If you like good, well-executed and catchy tunes then you will be extremely pleased with the purchase.”

“This guy and his band were the whole package on a top shelf level. He is a superb writer, and was way ahead of his time in the use of electronics effects. James has a clean well controlled voice that he uses with an edge, and guitar and keyboard effects are catchy even forty odd years later.”

“From the definitive garage rock of their first hit record, the all-ages appealing, Hanky Panky, to their expanding forays into psychedelia in Crimson & Clover, and Sweet Cherry Wine, Tommy James and The Shondells released a string of AM radio favourites that brought a sense of maturity to the power pop teen market of the era.”

“In the late 60s, Tommy James & The Shondells were the absolute antithesis of what any 'serious' fan of rock & roll thought that music ought to sound like. The derisive term 'bubble gum music' seemingly was invented to describe and disparage this band's output. So now, here we are many years later, and some people apparently think that they made some kind of noteworthy contribution to 60s music. They're wrong. This music was, and is, lightweight commercial fluff.”

“Apart from the hits Hanky Panky, Mony Mony and Crimson & Clover, the rest of the songs on this compilation do not make any impression on me. Individually they may seem nice and well done, but they lack an overall profile, and it can be both tiring and enervating to hear one uninteresting pop song after another.”

Ballad Of Easy Rider - THE BYRDS***

Ballad Of Easy Rider/Fido/Oil In My Lamp/Tulsa County Blue/Jack Tarr The Sailor/Jesus Is Just Alright/Its All Over Now Baby Blue/There Must Be Someone/Gunga Din/Deportee(Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)/Armstrong Aldrin & Collins

Ballad Of Easy Rider was the last noteworthy album from The Byrds, with plenty of laid back country rock, although not quite up to the standard of previous releases. (US:36 UK:41)

“This isn't one of their most exciting albums, but it's definitely worthwhile a listen. As a country-rock album, it's well-done and Gunga Din is one of the best late-period Byrds tunes.”

“Ballad Of Easy Rider is a very humble and pleasant sounding album. No revolutions, no diversity, but the songs are quite solid. The highlights include the absolutely gorgeous title track, the catchy Jesus Is Just Alright and the upbeat Fido.”

“This is easily the most laid-back LP The Byrds ever offered us and it captures the end-of-the-decade mood perfectly. This is sun-blasted music and most of it is exquisite, making it arguably one of the most accomplished country-rock records ever made. The arrangements are rich in subtle details and the playing is gorgeous.”

“Ballad Of Easy Rider is a shrug of an album composed largely of filler, relaxed to a fault but featuring only a couple noteworthy tracks. The title track is one, with a partial set of Dylan lyrics set to McGuinn's stunningly beautiful melody. The other buried gem would be Gunga Din, an excellent slice of 60s country rock that wouldn't be out of place on previous Byrds releases. Elsewhere you get a few pleasant but unremarkable country and folk covers.”

"Ballad Of Easy Rider is everyman's America captured in music. Full of warm, harmonious vocals, simple themes, brilliant musicianship, plus pure and genuine production.”

“This is the 1969 version of The Byrds, the jangling 12-string guitar sounds are gone, replaced by country leanings and delicate harmonies. Ballad Of Easy Rider is the last of the outstanding Byrd’s albums. After this, nothing of note would appear, so I consider this their real swansong effort, and it shines. Eleven beautifully performed folk/country/rock songs that are a gentle tonic for the soul.”

Joy Of A Toy – KEVIN AYERS****

Joy Of A Toy Continued/Town Feeling/The Clarietta Rag/Girl On A Swing/Song For Insane Times/Stop This Train/Eleanor’s Cake/Lady Rachel/Oleh Oleh Bandu Bandong/All This Crazy Gift Of Time

Joy Of A Toy was the debut album from guitarist Kevin Ayers after leaving Soft Machine. It is more whimsical than the more experimental work he did as part of a group.

“Joy of a Toy is Kevin Ayers' masterpiece, a delightfully odd and whimsical album from a genuine English eccentric. It is also an album of rare beauty, full of unexpected twists and turns.”

“Ayers is also one of those who largely ploughs his own furrow while betraying occasional glimpses of outside influence. Routinely described as eccentric, his debut album is aptly named, as joy is the feeling that predominates, despite several mood changes.”

“For those not familiar with Ayers this is a great starting point with fun, quirky, different songs contained within familiar melodies.”

“Kevin's first solo album takes his whimsical, wine-sodden style of psychedelia as first seen on the Softs' debut album and brings it centre stage, in songs ranging from carefree and childlike to menacing-yet-silly to romantic. Perhaps not as musically complex as the direction Soft Machine were heading in, but it's got a broader and deeper emotional range, so perhaps a parting of the ways was the right call for both parties. Not essential must-listen stuff, but enchanting enough in its own way and a good start to Kevin's solo career.”

“My favourite album by Kevin Ayers: great songwriting, huge playing (especially keyboards and bass) and a psychedelic vein that makes these songs extremely adventurous and unpredictable, but most of all joyful and enjoyable.”

“Ayers debut is drenched in psych tendencies, yet he didn’t mind including the pop or rock motifs, which are all but trivial, but would probably not have pleased his expartners in crime. Even so some songs do carry a heavy Soft Machine jazzy signature. It remains his best LP, marrying evocative indolence with progressive instrumentation to great effect.”

Pretties For You – ALICE COOPER**

Titanic Overture/10 Minutes Before The Worm/Sing Low Sweet Cheerio/Today Mueller/Living/Fields Of Regret/ No Longer Umpire/Levity Ball (Live At The Cheetah)/B B On Mars/Reflected/Apple Bush/Earwigs To Eternity/ Changing Arranging

Pretties For You was the debut album from the Detroit hard rock group Alice Cooper, which is also the stage name of their male lead singer. The group would become a major force in rock music during the mid seventies. (US:193)

“It's tinny, it's unfocused and it's amateurish but it's also strangely wonderful. Some tracks seem to have ten different time signatures and melodies in one song. Pretties For You was almost universally panned on its release, yet now some of those same critics bemoan the fact that AC turned into a rock behemoth instead of pursuing the psychedelic freak-outs exhibited here. It's a wonderful little nugget.”

“Musically speaking, psychedelic doesn't quite cover it. The band was definitely heavy here, with strong overtones of acid rock. It's a different kind of heavy than Love It To Death onward, however. They weren't nearly as tight and focused as they would later become. The songs feel more like individual fragments pieced together, usually in a jarringly illogical pattern. Few of the songs have any semblance of structure, much less an identifiable chorus that relates to the song title.”

“The Alice Cooper group were still searching for a musical identity, but this in no way detracts from the album. This is a loud, confusing, messy and fascinating listen.”

“Alice Cooper's first album is a beautiful psychedelic mess that assaults the senses in ways the later shock-rock stuff never could. This is the least understood Cooper disc for many obvious reasons - it sounds nothing like anything that would come after it. This is just the sound of a young band completely adrift.”

“Some really great late 60s, feedback drenched, psychedelic tunes on this little known record. Fans of later-era Cooper may be disappointed but appreciators of vintage psych will revel in its charm.”

“It's obvious there is quite a lot of talent in the band at this stage, but there isn't much focus. If you are a die-hard fan of Alice Cooper then I highly recommend it. But if you are a casual fan, stick with the Warner Brothers releases.”

Illuminations – BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE****

God Is Alive Magic Is Afoot/Mary/Better To Find Out For Yourself/The Vampire/Adam/The Dream Tree/Suffer The Little Children/The Angel/With You Honey/Guess Who I Saw In Paris/He’s A Keeper Of The Fire/Poppies

For her Illuminations album folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie introduced electronic synthesisers on the first quadraphonic album ever made. The resulting sound was different from anything she had previously recorded.

“The album was not a commercial success in its day, primarily because it was so out of character for what Buffy's fans wanted, and years later it still sounds subversive and strange. It combines Buffy Sainte-Marie's natural warmth and power with eerie and transcendent moments quite unlike anything else out there at the time. Very much a lost classic, Illuminations is not just for folkies. Anyone with an interest in psychedelia or the unusual will find a lot here to like.”

“This album made history as the first quadraphonic, electronic vocal and instrumental album. From the opening track to the end the listener gets a slice of psychedelic 1969 with technology well ahead of its time.”

“The best tracks have a surreal quality that sends shivers down the spine. My favourite song is The Angel with its funeral bells, sublime vocal and unworldly lyrics. The album contains only a few of the artists own songs, but this leaves room for her superb interpretations of other people’s works. Above all this album is experimental and years ahead of it's time. Turn on this album lay back and be transported by aural magic and that voice.”

“Buffy Sainte Marie's Illuminations has the great plus of sounding both of its time and, in a way, timeless. While the 60s roots are there, it certainly can't be easily slotted alongside most 60s folk albums, it's far too unusual for that. It's dark and sometimes disturbing, tinged with medieval vibes and then cross pollinated with slashes of electronica. The moments that impress the most are the sparsest ones, where the creepiness moves in and Buffy's ever quavering voice staggers along.”

“The dark, witchy dreamscape of this album, characterised by ominous incantation and tense chord patterns, is unparalleled. Sainte-Marie's vocals are entrancingly alien, with a dense vibrato that rolls like thunder between bouts of yodels, shrieks and sighs, and strange, glistening electronics move like shooting stars or looming satellites across the album's icy night sky. This is a true gem of '60s psychedelia.”

Your Saving Grace – THE STEVE MILLER BAND***

Little Girl/Just A Passing Fancy In A Midnight Dream/Don’t Let Nobody Turn You Around/Baby’s House/ Motherless Children/The Last Wombat In Mecca/Feel So Glad/Your Saving Grace

Steve Miller’s fourth album, Your Saving Grace, suffers from too many LPs released in too short a period of time, and is considered the weakest of his blues rock early releases. (US:38)

“One of the weaker 60s Steve Miller Band LPs. The 'saving grace' here is Baby's House a great extended track. The title track isn’t too bad either with a nice psychedelic break midway through.”

“Of his albums to date, I feel this is clearly the weakest. It's mostly soft, slow, folk influenced acoustic sub-par material. Not his shining moment. Though still credited to The Steve Miller Band, apparently, most of said band has been jettisoned at this point.”

“As my preference almost always is toward the less commercial musical output from artists and bands, it follows that this era of The Steve Miller band is my preferred and Your Saving Grace is perhaps my favourite album of that era.”

“A bluesy album with a lot of fine musicians lending a hand. Little Girl and Your Saving Grace are the only strong songs on the album, but they're worth the wait.”

“If I wanted to perpetuate my argument that Steve Miller’s early work was his best, using Your Saving Grace would not be my strongest weapon. Even though Nicky Hopkins graces several tracks with his exquisite piano and harpsichord, only about half the album benefits. The first three tracks are small teases but when Baby's House the first side closer begins the listener finally starts to hear the prime time Steve Miller. The second side is better as it contains good songs like Motherless Children, Feel So Glad and Your Saving Grace. Its late sixties psychedelic San Francisco type music, and in my opinion still better than the mid seventies pop music Steve would make money on later.”

"Steve Miller is probably the world's most underrated guitarist. He is also very underrated as an artist. Your Saving Grace is no exception. Baby's House shows off the piano skills of Nicky Hopkins as well as Miller's strength as a vocalist.”

Yesterday’s Children – YESTERDAY’S CHILDREN***

Paranoia/Sad Born Loser/What Of I/She’s Easy/Sailing/Providence Bummer/Evil Woman/Hunter’s Moon

Eponymous sole album from the obscure Connecticut psychedelic garage band Yesterday’s Children. Their musical style is hard rock bordering on heavy metal.

“Consistently a really superb heavy psych with some hard rock, garage and boogie moves, fuzzy guitars, great vocal work and a raunchy, potential and powerful sound. Is a perfect amalgam between the late-60s garage psych with the early-70s hard rock.”

“Very heavy and impressive album. Sailing, Evil Woman, Hunter's Moon and Sad Born Loser have some great heavy psych riffing. I wouldn't call this very original even for the time though, but it's a great listen, especially for fans of heavy psychedelic or early heavy metal.”

“This one is a killer album. Both sides are very special and include one awesome rocker after another. Eight songs in here and none of them are filler. I could name any of these songs as a highlight since all are equally impressive.”

“Yet another late 60s band lost in the smoky mist of time. Its interesting how aggressive is the one and only record that Yesterday’s Children gave us. Essentially a record performed by nimble musicians in raw fashion, it’s a non-specific amalgam of early hard rock ideas presented with some song acumen to preserve their legacy.”

“Pretty rockin' American psychedelic stuff from 1969. The guitar is very impressive especially on the tracks Sailing and Hunter's Moon. After listening to the album a few times, it grows on you and you just want to rock out. If there is such a thing as psychedelic metal, some of this perfectly embodies it. There are a couple of average songs that flatten out the overall prestige of the album, but for the most part, it is a great slice of psychedelic hard rock.”

“Excellent album. Nearly every song is five stars. Many have dark riffs and thundering drums that are echoed in later metal bands. It's a shame they didn't make any other records.”

The Power Of The Picts – WRITING ON THE WALL***

It Came On Sunday/Mrs Cooper’s Pie/Ladybird/Aries/Bogeyman/Shadow Of Man/Taskers Successor/Hill Of Dreams/Virginia Water

The Power Of The Picts was the sole album release from the Scottish rock group Writing On The Wall. They were better known for their live act and for playing at London’s Middle Earth club.

“Scottish heavy rock band Writing On The Wall made it big on the underground rock scene in the late 1960s through a highly dramatic stage act. Their only album was theatrical heavy blues psychedelic rock that, despite its power and menace, was too obviously derivative of better and more original artists to qualify as a notable work. To look at the positives, the band does play with a soul-rock crunch; the songs sometimes shift tempo and melody unpredictably.”

“Strong hard rock/proto metal that's heavy silly fun. Some great melodies and killer riffs. The whole band is good. Some folk seem not to like the singer. The writing is a little derivative on some tracks, and so there's a lack of overall focus. Despite the lack of unity, this should be totally enjoyable for fans of this period.”

“One of the very few pre-Sabbath heavy metal albums. Simplicity is the key. The heavy sound becomes more important than the solos, more important than the vocals even. The organ player is in it too, no fooling around. The singer sounds helpless and out of place.”

“This one is a real grower. At first listen this seemed a bit too raw and simplistic. What we have here is heavy early proto-progressive rock. The dominant instrument is the Hammond organ which is played quite a lot in a loose and wild manner. This is a great period piece, and recommended to fans of the early UK progressive scene.”

“Apparently starting as a soul covers band, they took a drastic career change to produce a prog rock album. Sadly the vocalist still thinks he is singing soul. Musically the band are highly competent and, whilst not in the upper league of prog bands of the time, produce a highly listenable and interesting album with lots of Hammond.”

“The only downside to this album is the annoying vocals. It's hard to take the heavy atmosphere of the music seriously when the vocalist insists on making such unnecessarily stupid vocalisations.”

Second Winter – JOHNNY WINTER*****

Memory Pain/I’m Not Sure/The Good Love/Slippin’ & Slidin’/Miss Ann/Johnny B Goode/Highway 61 Revisited/I Love Everybody/Hustled Down In Texas/I Hate Everybody/Fast Life Rider

The classic Second Winter, the second Columbia LP from virtuoso blues rock guitarist Johnny Winter was probably unique in being three sided. Includes a couple of rock and roll covers and a Dylan song. (US:55)

“I think there are good arguments that Johnny was about as good a guitar player as you'd find by the time this album came out. This is stone-cold junkie blues rock at its pinnacle. There is no way to improve upon this album in that regard. The blues rock guitar playing is simply mind-boggling, the songs are great and there is a very enjoyable variety on the disc.”

“This album rocks the house from the foundation to the rafters. All original blues numbers, with a couple of covers of Little Richard and Chuck Berry, plus Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited."

“Johnny Winter's second album for Columbia Records came out in 1969, and it is one of his most stylistically diverse offerings, and his most idiosyncratic as well. It is not a pure blues album, nor a rock 'n' roll record, although there is plenty of blues here, and a solid helping of rock 'n' roll as well. It is sort of psychedelic bluesrock record which includes shades of funk, hard rock, and a little bit of jazz.”

“Johnny Winter is one of the finest slide guitarists and this could be his biggest achievement. But he is also a great vocalist who manages to show it in rock 'n' roll (Miss Ann), jazz blues (I Hate Everyone) and his signature Texas blues throughout the album.”

“Second Winter is easily Johnny Winters most popular and well received album. Packed with his virtuosic finger pickin’ half slide, half not blues guitar playing and his rough and screechy vocals, this is the best he ever played or sung. He just sounds great all around.”

“Second Winter is one of the greatest guitar albums of all time. Winter's guitar burns, stings, screams and cries. It unleashes furious note flurries and some of the most blazing blues solos ever put to vinyl. In short it's nothing less than a masterpiece of blues and blues rock guitar. The whole album is just so amazing.”

Volunteers – JEFFERSON AIRPLANE****

We Can Be Together/Good Shepherd/The Farm/Hey Fredrick/Turn My Life Down/Wooden Ships/Eskimo Blue Day/A Song For All Seasons/Meadowlands/Volunteers

Volunteers was the final memorable album from Jefferson Airplane before internal squabbles caused them to gradually disintegrate. The group would undergo a renaissance in the mid 1970s as Jefferson Starship. (US:13 UK:34)

“This is Jefferson Airplane at their peak, political and trippy, at the end of the sixties. Before their legendary squabbles would, finally, make them implode, they managed one last great album, and here it is. Each of them seem to have hit their stride, Kantner's writing has achieved a new maturity, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassady play together like one and Slick and Balin sing their hearts out.”

“The last overall great album by this band. Interesting songwriting on We Can Be Together and Eskimo Blue Day, a nice folk-rock version of the traditional Good Shepherd, far out psychedelic jams with Hey Fredrick, a great version of Wooden Ships and at last, there is the outshining hymn Volunteers, which brings the fading idealistic sixties to an worthy ending.”

“This is a classic album in every sense of the word. It has wonderful vocals from Slick and strong guitar work form Kaukonen. It is surely one of the best records from 1969 and without a doubt the band’s finest moment.”

“This album is epic, going from country to psychedelic, the music and lyrics really embrace the spirit of that crazy decade.”

“If you have a sweet tooth for folky pop, the Airplane reach some nicely ethereal places here. Some moments on this album are so dreamy that they hypnotize me with nostalgia for a time that I didn't even live through. Songs like Eskimo Blue Day, with its dopey lyrics and the nearly nine-minute Grace Slick belter Hey Fredrick are made powerful by the music's dramatic and spectral rocking.”

"Volunteers is the last 60s album Jefferson Airplane recorded and what a classic it is. Merging folk and psychedelic sounds it is full of well crafted songs such as We Can Be Together, Wooden Ships the honky-tonkish The Farm and the anti-establishment tune Volunteers to name a few.”

Valentyne Suite – COLOSSEUM***

The Kettle/Elegy/Butty’s Blues/The Machine Demands A Sacrifice/Valentyne Suite: Part One January’s Search – Part Two February’s Valentyne – Part Three The Grass Is Always Greener

Colosseum’s second album Valentyne Suite featured one of the more distinctive record covers from the late sixties. The contents may be a bit too jazzy for many progressive fans. (UK:15)

“Originally released as the first LP on the spiral Vertigo label, this is Brit-jazz beefed up for a late-60s rock audience. It's mostly instrumentals, and these are the best cuts: the 16-minute long title track allows everyone to, uh, stretch out (man), without descending into noodly pretension. Heavy on the Hammond and tenor sax, with a top-notch rhythm section propelling the whole show along.”

“The title track is reasonable as far as long and jazzy jams go, and it earns points for containing no singing, because this singer has a very irritating voice and the other songs are unlistenable for that reason.”

“Very listenable prog-jazz. Elegy is particularly fine with James Litherland in particularly fine vocal form. I much prefer the A side's shorter songs than the Valentyne Suite, but as a whole it works quite well.”

“Greenslade's organ playing has all the flair and aggression of Emerson, but has far less classical influence and takes far more from the jazz side of things. The band as a whole does a good enough job, with a side of short songs that resemble the material Cream might have released if they had a hot organist and a bit more fusion influence. The epic Valentyne Suite itself is a true keyboard tour de force for Greenslade.”

“Intense progressive rock with touches of jazz and blues and great musicianship. And lovely artwork.”

“I saw the cover and was instantly captivated; this has to be something special. This record introduced me to jazz-rock, it has such a power from beginning to end. The melodies are catchy, the chords inventive, the solos awesome."

“Great prog jazz/rock fusion with guitar, sax, horns, and organ, with various hard and mild psych influences.”

Ummagumma – PINK FLOYD*

Astronomy Dominie/Careful With That Axe Eugene/Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun/A Saucerful Of Secrets/Something Else/Syncopated Pandemonium/Storm Signals/Celestial Voices/Sysyphus Part 1/Sysyphus Part 2/Sysyphus Part 3/Sysyphus Part 4/Grantchester Meadows/Several Species Of Small Furry Animals/The Narrow Way (Parts 1 2 & 3)/The Grand Vizier’s Garden Party (Parts 1 2 &3)

Ummagumma was a sprawling double album of supreme pretentiousness and self indulgence that is likely to appeal to only the most committed Floyd enthusiasts. Given the high chart placing there must have been quite a few British fans let down by this purchase. (US:74 UK:5)

“There isn't really much music here. This stuff would be OK if there was stuff to go with it but there isn’t - they have removed all the music from the psychedelic noise and left only noise. There are hardly any vocals, which normally wouldn't be a problem, but because they have separated all of the parts of the songs, it is really noticeable that nothing is going on. A large problem with this album is it doesn't seem to go anywhere. The live portion is just live versions of songs from old LPs.”

“The Ummagumma studio album is Floyd at their worst and most pretentious - every time you think it might be building up to something, it reverts back to unstructured experimental garbage.”

“Ummagumma is the sound of a band hedging its bets, split between a live album of older material and a studio album of what are essentially solo compositions.”

“A mediocre live disc in which every song sounds exactly the same and a half-LP side studio solo spot for each of the band members. They are having trouble working as a team already. Roger has fun with sound effects, Dave jams on a couple vamps for twelve minutes, Nick distinguishes himself as one of rock's worst drummers, and Rick pounds on his piano like an angry stroke victim.”

“Definitely the black sheep of Floyd albums. This is highly, highly, experimental and spacey, falling into aimlessness and experimentation for experimentation sake. It's a good thing that they didn’t release much more of this avant-garde music. The studio disc feels completely pointless. What each of these band members came up with are ambient pieces with a feel of musique concrete. Did they seriously want to alienate all their fans? The band returns to some of the failed experimental atonal noises that they hashed out unsuccessfully on earlier LPs, this time as solo pieces.”

Hollies Sing Hollies - THE HOLLIES***

Why Didn't You Believe/Don't Give Up Easily/Look At Life/Please Sign Your Letters/My Life Is Over With You/Please Let Me Please/Do You Believe In Love/Soldier's Dilemma/Marigold-Gloria Swansong/You Love 'Cos You Like It/Reflections Of A Time Long Past/Goodbye Tomorrow

Hollies Sing Hollies was the group's first album of original material since the departure of main songwriter Graham Nash. It predictably finds them moving back to their more traditional harmony pop sound.

"It's a step downward from Butterfly, but they haven't descended into boredom yet. There are still some great tracks. I quite admire Marigold-Gloria Swansong because of its progressive feel. Even though the songs are, in general, pretty decent, I can sense a slight lack of inspiration and direction. Not a bad record though."

"Disregarding the cover art, the music within is actually bearable at times. This album does have its moments, though Graham Nash is sorely missed. Terry Sylvester could hardly fill the tips of his shoes. The Hollies tend to excel at the subtle ballads such as Don't Give Up Easily, which sounds like an attempt at a Nash song, Look At Life, and Allan Clarke's opus Marigold-Gloria Swansong. They then proceed to fail at everything else with a bunch of throwaway cheeseball pop."

"This is quite a strange album. On the one hand there are lots of songs that I really like, but there is also some weak stuff that sounds pretty dated in comparison to other albums of the same year. It even sounds dated compared to their own singles."

"Many 60s pop fans thought The Hollies were a lost cause after Graham Nash left, but this fine release shows otherwise. The introduction of Terry Sylvester does nothing to change the original sound of the group, in fact The Hollies' harmonies sound better than ever"

"This one is the most bouncy and some would say most pure pop of their releases. The songs though are very good and some even are close to pure sweetness. This isn't for the person who wants late sixties rock that isn't poppy. This band made some of the best discs of their era and this one was just about pop mainly."

"The Hollies own songwriting is ace here, My Life Is Over With You is an awesome 'get out of my life' song with a great Allan Clarke vocal, and Marigold-Gloria Swansong could have belonged on Butterfly. Please Let Me Please is a upbeat rocker with a killer hook."

The Turning Point – JOHN MAYALL****

The Laws Must Change/Saw Mill Gulch Road/I’m Gonna Fight For You JB/So Hard To Share/California/ Thoughts About Roxanne/Room To Move

The Turning Point was a live album from a pared down Bluesbreakers recorded at New York’s Fillmore East in July 1969 and featuring just Mayall original compositions. (US:32 UK:11)

“Viewed initially as a gimmick, the lack of drums was in fact the key to the clear, intimate sound Mayall was seeking. Structured to allow virtuoso playing, his highly atmospheric songs are driven along by the bass and acoustic guitars, with instrumental solos emerging from and gliding above their intricate backing rhythms. Mayall's vocals, guitar and harmonica underpin some excellent blues and R & B.”

“This album is as much jazz as it is blues, with the instruments playing with, and off each other in a profound way, creating atmospheric effects that are still being built on today. This release blew my mind, and I still stand transfixed whenever I hear any song from Turning Point.”

“John Mayall shows here once again why he is one of the biggest legends of the whole blues music history. He plays slide guitar, tambourine and mouth percussion in this performance and he does it with attitude. And of course he performs the vocals with his classic style. All of the songs are Mayall's own material which is a plus every time.”

“Ditching heavy lead guitar and drums, Mayall’s new band had only been together a month or so when this live recording took place.”

“Not only is this a great blues album in general, its sheer innovation is unmatched. It was certainly a long jump from the more traditional blues John Mayall was performing throughout the sixties, but The Turning Point shows that jump to be one of the best moves in the industry. It is classic electric blues and, despite its lack of drums, it probably has better rhythm than just about any rock album of the time.”

“A wonderful blues album with some more intricate melodies not found in the hard guitar driven style popular at the time. Mayall shows no faltering with his beautiful voice and superior blues harp skills from one of the best bluesman to ever hail from Britain.”