IÑAKI EGAÑA - Karma [España progressive, hard rock] 1974 RCA Victor SPL1-2097

 

Spanish Monster progressive hard rock.

Iñaki

THE SUN - Tristan - A Rock Opera [UK xian folk, progressive 1971] 2013 Shadoks Music 156

 

The time is anytime, for this love story, a ship is dipping trough the sparkling blue sea, sitting on deck are Tristan and Ysolde. The music is electric folk with a progressive touch, male and female vocals, wide range of instruments, great percussion and first class guitar & organ parts. Some songs more acoustic, some electric. A well balanced mixture of an underground concept album which beats most other UK albums of the same kind. This album is a pure surprise.

The Sun

DOFUS - Suite Azul Rock [España psychedelic, progressive rock 1979] Musimar ZUL 1-8590

 

Spanish psychedelic, progressive rock..... has side long suite with great guitar leads, hammond and some jazz rock overtones. Pokora R4 but way rarer now.

Dofus

MODIFICACIÓN - Modificación [España freak beat, rock, progressive 1971-74] 2020 Munster Records MR 408

The group Modificación is a prime example of what '70s underground and prog rock meant on the Valencia scene. Bands encountered a series of obstacles when making their much freer and more versatile music, which was demanded by the international planet rock. These hurdles varied from the serious difficulty of recording modern and innovative records, impositions by the record label and frequent desertion by band members to pursue interests that were more professional than artistic. The group's origins date back to early 1969, in Valencia's Ruzafa neighbourhood, with an average age of around 16 among its founding members. They adopted the name Modificación, an intriguing name that flagged up their creative intentions and interest in underground sounds, under the influence of bands like Grand Funk Railroad, Iron Butterfly, Vanilla Fudge, Rare Earth, Led Zeppelin... While the bulk of the Valencia rock scene revolved around modest groups making commercial music for dance halls, mostly versions of contemporary hits, they wrote their own songs from day one and set the bar high with daily rehearsals, aiming to perform to perfection. The band's luck seemed to change at a show with the Catalan group Lone Star. Pedro Gené (leader and vocalist of Lone Star) suggested Modificación record a single for the biggest record label in Spain: EMI. "Llegará el día que me quieras" (1971) was a major debut that also brought the arrival of a new vocalist, Juan Bau. Modificación's second record adventure was with the small Madrid label La Corrida in 1972, set up by Félix Arribas and Juan Jiménez, members of the famous Spanish band Los Pekenikes. They would release a couple of singles recorded at the Audiofilm studios in Madrid under the influence of glam, Californian and soft-rock style, international trends at the time. The now legendary freakbeat number "Across The Time" was crafted during these sessions and has become one of the most admired and sought-after singles of Spanish music. This LP brings together all the songs comprised in their three published singles as well as the remaining unreleased recordings from those 1972 sessions in Madrid. An accomplished portrait of one of the most legendary Spanish underground bands from that period whose fans, unable to find the elusive -and now very expensive records, were crying out for an urgent reissue of their work.

Modificación

 

GOMA - 14 Abril [España progressive rock 1975] 2003 Fonomusic 5046703342

 

One of the better example of Spanish prog, the debut of this Sevillian group has become one of the most sought after vinyl in their home country. This quintet - your standard prog quartet plus sax man Pepe Sanchez - develops a rather punchy and relatively personal prog but mainly inspired of the British scene while maintaining a Spanish touch through the acoustic guitar. Four long tracks of which the shortest (still above the 8 min-mark) is divided into two sections make the backbone of this symphonic album.

The opening track is sometimes annoying with its approximate recording of a VDGG- like sax and vocals (too loud in the mix), but there are some beautiful moments. From the first guitar arpeggios of the 2-part Mother Earth track, this is all forgotten and all you have to do is let yourself be transported by the calm and wild ambiances - how these guys come from total chaos into superb arpeggios in twenty seconds without being abrupt is amazing. The third track is much harder rocking with its crunchy guitar power chords, but remains very charming. Unfortunately for the continuity of the album, the last track is sung in English (all the rest were in Spanish), but there are some evidences of very early Crimson in its slow start. The track is rather odd with its fade-ins and outs, but shows Goma at their most adventurous.

With their first album, Goma strike a minor masterpiece, but for some reason, will not be able to capitalize on this album, and by the time that came out the second album four years after, the feeling was quite different and the momentum lost. However, this album is really recommended for all progheads, maybe one of the top 10 from Spain.

Goma

TRACKS - The Very Best of Tracks 1969-1974 [USA rock, progressive, psychedelic 1969-1974] 1991 Boston Skyline BCD 111

Not to be confused with Bowie guitarist Earl Slick's 1972 group on Capitol Records or a late-'70s Boston punk band fronted by Lori Doll, this Tracks reigned between 1969 and 1974 and had the distinction of being produced by Wayne Wadhams, lead singer of the Fifth Estate (which hit with "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" in 1967). Along with a unique version of Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," this ensemble comes up with a real sleeper in the tune "Pawnbroker" -- a strong, methodical ballad featuring great vocals and interplay from the guitar and keyboard that put it in a league with the legendary Modern Lovers. "Bottleneck" is another excellent track, recorded by producer Wadhams at the prestigious Orson Welles Film School outside of Harvard Square where Willie "Loco" Alexander and Walter Powers created their post-Velvet Underground tapes in 1974. Wadhams' March 1991 liner notes on this treasure help put things in perspective, though the four-page booklet and highly informative back cover are all the press record collectors are likely to find on a band that hardly got the attention of the aforementioned Modern Lovers or, for that matter, Aerosmith, the Sidewinders, Moulty & the Barbarians, Seatrain, or Barry & the Remains. "Expecting to Find You Gone" and "Whistling in the Dark Together" sound like the kind of music the Rowan Brothers were trying to make for Clive Davis in 1972, Peter Rowan emerging from Seatrain and Earth Opera during the time this Tracks was making noise. The band was perhaps a bit too progressive to grab the underground chic enjoyed by Andy Paley's Sidewinders or Jonathan Richman's musings -- and with "Mexican Bird" not being a hit single, there would be no resurgence like the Barbarians' track "Moulty" received on the Nuggets collection (come to think of it, Tracks' producer did have a hit, yet never got that all important Nuggets stamp of approval). A song like "Lethargy" would have most likely remained forever in obscurity without this Boston Skyline compilation bringing it and other selections back into circulation. The Very Best of Tracks is not your typical artifact from the days before New England's new wave movement, but it is quite a find.

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SAN MICHAEL'S - Nattag [Sweden progressive psychedelic rock 1972] 2009 Transubstans Records TRANS 062

San Michael's became a rather popular live act in Sweden and Norway, and in 1972 they recorded their second album with touring member Nane Kvillsäter now a permanent guitarist. However, the album went unreleased at the time but was unearthed almost 40 years later by Swedish label Transubstans. It's a more mature effort than ”San Michael's” showing that the band benefitted from Kvillsäter joining the band. The songs are better overall and the performances are heavier than on their debut. The thin vocals are still the weakest link though. All in all, it would have made perfect sense releasing ”Nattåg” in the early 70's, as intended.

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WILDEBEEST - Bushrock 1 [South Africa psychedelic progressive folk 1981] 2000 Wildebeest Records WILD 022

Recorded live in 1981, Bushrock 1 is the sound of a truly African progressive rock band in full flight - thundering African percussion, hard rock guitars, swirling Celtic violin and soaring vocals all combine to form a heady musical brew. Wildebeest featured ex-Freedom's Children drummer Colin Pratley, bassist Piet Botha (now fronting Jack Hammer) and violinist Dave Tarr. Tracks include unique takes on Freedoms's The Kid He Came From Hazareth, Slowly From The North and Tribal fence. Sound quality is not very good.

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ISAIAH - Isaiah [Austria progressive rock 1975] 2014 Digatone DIG 002 CD, Album, Enhanced, Reissue

Isaiah's only album (1975) features a mix of jazz, blues and progressive rock elements. Led by the charismatic voice of flautist and guitarist Gert Raabe, the band counts as one of Austria's most versatile bands of the 1970s, often likened to Jethro Tull, Yes and ELP. The band disbanded in 1977.

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