RICHARD FALK's REVIEWS
Mo-My
Mount Salem (USA): Endless (No label, CDR, with digipak, 2013)
Metal
Emily Kopplin (lead vocals, organ)
This is doom metal with female vocals and prominent organ, so one might expect it to sound similar to early Blood Ceremony – and indeed it does. Whilst it doesn’t quite have the same epic sound as peak Blood Ceremony, nor such accomplished songwriting, it’s a very enjoyable (if short and rather slight) set with excellent singing and suitably stripped-down arrangements. GRADE: B–.
Mount Whateverest (USA): 5 Years Higher (No label, download, 2020)
Psychedelic
Sasha Soukup, Cyn
They describe themselves as ‘the highest band on earth’; whilst I’m not sure I’d go that far, this is certainly rather good psychedelia, crossing the retro sensibilities of the Magic Mushroom Band with the trash aesthetic of the B52s. There’s nothing particularly life-changing among the four songs and 16-odd minutes of music here, but it’s an enjoyable enough trip nonetheless. An earlier release (also an EP) exists from 2014, but I haven’t encountered it.
GRADE: C+.
Mountain Ash Band (UK): The Hermit (Witches Bane, with insert, 1975)
Folk/Rock
Lynda Hardcastle (occasional vocals, recorder)The band members were residents at the Burley in Wharfedale Folk Club, but this is as far from typical folk club fare as one can imagine. Their biggest influence was clearly Fairport Convention, but rather than the Liege And Lief era they obviously idolised the Dave Swarbrick-fronted line-up from the early seventies. In particular, this follows the template established by Babbacombe Lee, mixing narration with songs to tell the story of a historical character. Whilst drawing on traditional sources, the music is largely original and extremely well composed and performed, particularly considering that the album was recorded in just two days. In fact, Mountain Ash Band demonstrate a level of ambition unmatched by virtually any other folk private pressing I can think of. GRADE: B–.
Mountain Caller (UK): Chronicle I: The Truthseeker (New Heavy Sounds, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2020)
Metal/Progressive
El Reeve (occasional vocals, bass), Claire Simson (guitar)
Almost entirely instrumental and played entirely on guitars, bass and drums, Mountain Caller’s music is powerful, dynamic and riff-driven. But whilst the mainly female trio’s debut is impressively aggressive and atmospheric, they don’t deliver the killer tunes that would elevate such deceptively simple music to the next level. As such, whilst this often comes close to a B– it doesn’t quite make it, and overall it represents a portent of more exciting albums to come rather than a fully realised vision in its own right. GRADE: C+.
Mountain Caller (UK): Chronicle: Prologue (New Heavy Sounds NHSEP034, with download card, 2021)
Metal
As its title suggests, this 20-minute EP is intended as a prequel to the album proper and the band suggests they’re listened to in sequence in order to understand the concept (which remains pretty nebulous given that their music is all-instrumental). The music here is perhaps mildly better than that on the LP proper, bolstered by a superb, dynamic recording, but the band’s approach clearly lays bare the limitations of their ambitions, with no truly incendiary playing or audacious time shifts on display. GRADE: C+.
Mountain Caller (UK): Chronicle II: Hypergenesis (Church Road CRR210V, CD, 2024)
Metal/Progressive
El Reeve (lead vocals, bass), Claire Simson (guitar)
The lack of ostentatious soloing and tempo changes in Mountain Caller’s mainly instrumental metal sets them apart from most other bands in the same territory – both for better and worse. Some may find this simplistic, but its lack of artifice is attractive and it’s notable that they seem to have upped their game on the riffs and melodies front. GRADE: B–.
Mountain Dew (Holland): After The First Gallon (Stoof MU 7443, 1978)
Folk/Country
Kootje Schilders (lead vocals)
The attractive black-and-white cover, depicting a country cabin in the States with an alcohol still outside, sums up the music perfectly. This is pleasant but unexceptional contemporary folk with simple acoustic arrangements, strongly oriented towards the New World and giving few, if any, hints of its Dutch origins. Whilst likeable enough, it contains lots and lots of banjo – not an instrument I particularly like. GRADE: C.
Mountains Of Gold (UK): Mountains Of Gold (Look LK.LP.6055, 1976)
Folk/Rock
Lois Corfield (joint lead vocals), Jackie Alcock (joint lead vocals), Alison Andrews (joint lead vocals), Marion Bernard (joint lead vocals), Carole Berson (joint lead vocals), Vivienne Brayshaw (joint lead vocals), Paula Britton (joint lead vocals), Naomi Fineberg (joint lead vocals), Christine Flint (joint lead vocals), Melanie Gerrard (joint lead vocals), Caroline Guthrie (joint lead vocals), Claire Hardy (joint lead vocals), Alison Heap (joint lead vocals), Susan Ilsley (joint lead vocals), Jennifer Lynas (joint lead vocals), Mandy Nachman (joint lead vocals), Katheryn Payne (joint lead vocals), Patricia Plumb (joint lead vocals), Usha Pattel (joint lead vocals), Mary Robinson (joint lead vocals), Wendy Solk (joint lead vocals), Averil Townsley (joint lead vocals), Helen Welch (joint lead vocals)
This Tolkien-themed rock opera is more professional than most school projects, with solid backing from a band named Goblin and decent solo and massed vocals from the kids. With a bit more stretching-out, it would be even better – as it is, the music plays a supporting role to the vocals, but then that’s par for the course for the genre. GRADE: C+.
Mourning Phase (UK): Mourning Phase (No label, 1971)
Folk/Rock
Joy
For years, this was the most obscure of private pressings, having first been discovered in the bowels of a London studio in a hand-painted cover that credited it to 'Mike Conn’ with ‘Sandy Denny’ and ‘Eric Clapton’ and dated it as a 1971 recording. The disc has no Denny or Clapton involvement whatever, of course, but Conn was indeed the band's leader and principal songwriter (penning everything except 'Smile Song'). The vitriolic lyrics refer to the break-up of his marriage and the music was performed by a four-piece line-up, rather than a duo, as most collectors assumed; also contrary to assumption, they were a real gigging band rather than a studio aggregation. Whilst its mystique probably outweighs its musical importance, it contains some good rough-edged folk/rock and some catchy melodies. To shatter one final misconception: there was certainly more than one original copy made, with four known on the collectors' circuit, though only one has a sleeve (made by a friend of the band). GRADE: C+.
Mr Albert Show (Holland): Mr Albert Show (Philips 641 3001, 1970)
Blues/Jazz/Rock
Inez (joint lead vocals)
At various times recalling Julie Driscoll or to a lesser extent Affinity, this excellent album adds in strong psychedelic and progressive elements to its jazzy, bluesy rock base. It also has plenty of horns and a distinctly Dutch feel, making for an unusual piece of work that sounds rather dated today (but without losing any of its power). Following the album’s release, Inez was replaced by one Floortje Klomp, but she left before the recording of the band’s second and final album Warm Motor. Notwithstanding, the Canadian issue (retitled Dutch Treat, and with a completely different cover) pictured her as a band member and credited her as lead vocalist. GRADE: B–.
Mr Fox (UK): Mr Fox (Transatlantic TRA 226, 1970)
Folk/Rock
Carole Pegg (joint lead vocals, violin)
Mr Fox’s leaders Bob and Carole Pegg were invited to be founder members of Steeleye Span, but opted to launch their own electric folk band instead. Their take on the genre is slightly different from Steeleye’s: all the material is self-penned rather than traditional, though the music perversely feels more traditional and rustic, with a strong morris influence. However, they can be psychedelic too, as the excellent ‘The Gay Gosshawk’ and the title track prove, with their startling fuzz guitar and cello respectively. GRADE: B–.
Mr Fox (UK): The Gipsy (Transatlantic TRA 236, 1971)
Folk/Rock/Progressive
Carole Pegg (joint lead vocals, tom-toms, violin)
The first side of this far more ambitious follow-up is the real revelation, featuring the superb fourteen-minute title track and the lengthy tour de force ‘Mendle’, a psychedelic masterpiece built around a simple and constantly repeated organ figure, occasionally overlaid with distorted guitar on the edge of total feedback meltdown. Side two is no slouch either, opening with the unusual ‘Aunt Lucy Broadwood’ (a sort of proto-rap piece with backing from drums and percussion only) and a stunning interpretation of the traditional ‘House Carpenter’. GRADE: B.
See also Bob & Carole Pegg
Mr Reject (UK): Mr Reject (No label, with insert, 1971)
Pop/Psychedelic
Penny Ayling (occasional vocals), Toni Bevan (occasional vocals), Jo Billiter (occasional vocals), Marie Joëlle Briand (occasional vocals), Brenda Rooney (occasional vocals), Sara Carder (occasional vocals), Mandy Crampton (occasional vocals), Trisha Dair (occasional vocals), Pat Dunbar (occasional vocals), Sheila Emslie (occasional vocals), Nicki Fear (occasional vocals), Christine Finch (occasional vocals), Elizabeth Gamble (occasional vocals), Maureen Gillooly (occasional vocals), Judy Harris (occasional vocals), Alyson Hume (occasional vocals), Janet James (occasional vocals), Ann Johnson (occasional vocals), Thérese Keane (occasional vocals), Rose Keeling (occasional vocals), Alison King (occasional vocals), Sarah Lomas (occasional vocals), Katie Marshall (occasional vocals), Jane Montgomery (occasional vocals), Anne Morse (occasional vocals), Fiona Moy (occasional vocals), Linda Orrin (occasional vocals), Maggie Parker (occasional vocals), Nicki Poole (occasional vocals), Gail Shorter (occasional vocals), Marilyn Smith (occasional vocals), Jenny Syme (occasional vocals), Paula Tubby (occasional vocals), Mary Tyler (occasional vocals), Dawn Walkett (occasional vocals), Susan Westall (occasional vocals), Carol Woodburn (occasional vocals)
This ‘generation gap’ musical was composed by a blind keyboard player, and comes housed in a striking dark blue, orange and purple silkscreened cover. The first couple of cuts are rather underwhelming, and there’s occasional low-budget ‘Godspell’ feel about the remainder, but for the most part it’s rather good late Beatles-esque melodic pop with nice fuzz guitar and organ and a few mildly psychedelic edges. The insert, incidentally, is an erratum slip correcting the tracklisting, rather then a lyric sheet. GRADE: C+.
Mr Sirius (Japan): Barren Dream (Made In Japan MIJ-1013, 1987)
Progressive
Hiroko Nagai (lead vocals, piano)
This rather unusual album is simultaneously delicate and pastoral yet quite bombastic, with acoustic guitars and piano alternating with heavy electric guitar and synthesiser work. Occasionally it resembles a more fragile twist on eighties Renaissance, but with much stronger folk elements and a great deal more complexity; overall it’s interesting and sometimes quite captivating but doesn’t quite hang together. GRADE: C+.
Mr Sirius (Japan): Dirge (Crime KICP 69, CD, 1990)
Progressive
Hiroko Nagai (lead vocals)
Much more dramatic than its predecessor, this offers rather arch Broadway-like songs with jazzy edges, long flute-led folk passages, messy outbursts of King Crimson-like rock, and more. The end result is a strange, incoherent album that’s continually changing; the only constant is that most of it is very well done. GRADE: C+.
Mr Sirius (Japan): Incredible Tour (Made In Japan MCB-001, CD, with poster sleeve, 1992)
Progressive
Hiroko Nagai (principal vocals)
Limited to 500 numbered copies, this is subtitled ‘rescued recordings from the first time around’; I often find myself wishing that this particular rescue had been aborted. Notably, their cover of Kate Bush’s ‘Babooshka’, sung as a duet between Hiroko Nagai and (I presume) Kazuhiro Miyatake approaches Shaggs-like levels of ineptitude – Miyatake cannot sing to save his life and nor can he speak English with any degree of competence. Meanwhile, ‘Kokan Dé Jealousy’ opens with truly ludicrous falsetto vocals, while one cut consists of orchestral backing over which Miyatake narrates some tale or other in Japanese (which the audience appears to find very funny). Their cover of Yes’s ‘Siberian Khatru’ is enjoyable, despite Miyatake’s attempt at stand-up comedy at the beginning, which is excruciating to non-Japanese ears. The rest is more normal, but this is sometimes a horrendous album. As a footnote, it’s very badly dubbed from vinyl, suggesting that it was lifted from a bootleg; the cover dates the recordings to between 1989 and 1991. At least the sound quality is good. The disc was reissued two years later, with a different catalogue number (MJC-1004) and a conventional jewel case and booklet. GRADE: D.
See also Final Fantasy, Pageant, Sirius
Mr So & So (UK): The Overlap (No label SS001CD, UK, 1998)
Rock/Progressive
Charlotte Evans (occasional vocals)
After two albums with an all-male line-up, this neoprogressive band added a female singer for their third. The music is undemanding symphonic rock that’s pleasant and mellifluous but also completely forgettable. GRADE: C.
Mr So & So (UK): Sugarstealer (MSSR, CD, 2009)
Rock/Progressive
Charlotte Evans (joint lead vocals)
A much more mature album than its predecessor, this sees them moving away from symphonic rock in a more Paul McCartney-esque direction. There are still some progressive elements as well, most notably in the short, classical-styled instrumentals that pepper the disc, and this seems to be a concept piece of some sort. Whilst the album is a little thin-sounding and a touch light on really great songs, it’s a very tasteful set that alternates effectively between harder rockers, lighter pop-flavoured numbers and acoustic folk pieces, with a suitably climactic final cut. GRADE: C+.
Mr So & So (UK): Truth, Lies And Half Lies (MSSR 2, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2013)
Rock/Progressive
Charlotte Evans (joint lead vocals, tambourine)
The crushing riffs of the opening ‘Paperchase’ make you think Mr So & So have gone prog-metal; they haven’t, although this is a much heavier LP with several tracks demonstrating a hard rock influence. Elsewhere the vaguely Beatles-esque feel of Sugarstealer remains, though this feels more like a modern American prog album than anything British. In any case, it’s well put together and varied, if not especially complex or challenging. GRADE: C+.
Don Mrozek (USA): Hug (Fanfare Studios FM 75121, with inner, 1975)
Singer/Songwriter
Sandra Ricketson (occasional vocals), Laura Bodie (occasional vocals)
This sophisticated singer/songwriter affair has mainly Christian lyrics, but this isn’t reflected in the striking (and very effective) cover art. The music ranges from lush soft rock to delicate acoustic settings, with four lead singers including Mrozek himself (although the two women don’t get to do much). GRADE: C+.
MTA 62 (West Germany): Furth – Western Songs And Ballads (Thorofon ATH 111, 1970?)
Folk
Helga Adamczewski, Ingrid Pfeifenberger, Ursula Seiler
Issued on the same obscure label as the first Emtidi album, this is among the rarest German LPs. Musically, it’s pretty gruesome, though, being a sort of campfire singalong folk LP with the double whammy of mostly American material and a children’s choir. Overall it sounds like a particularly bad school project LP, with only the delicate ‘Speed Bonnie Boat’ and the mournful ‘In Bed Lies A Woman’ being worth a second listen. GRADE: E+.
Mugwumps (USA): The Mugwumps (Warner Brothers W / WS 1697, 1967)
Folk/Pop
Cass Elliot (backing vocals)
Released in 1967 following the huge commercial success of the Mamas & The Papas, these late 1964 recordings feature ‘Mama’ Cass Elliot, ‘Papa’ Denny Doherty, Zal Yanovsky of the Lovin’ Spoonful and Elliot’s then-husband and former Big 3 collaborator Jim Hendricks. Unsurprisingly, the sound is very similar to the Mamas & The Papas (and indeed the early Beatles), and whilst lacking the songwriting brilliance of John Phillips these recordings are good enough to make one wonder why they weren’t released at the time. Two of the songs were co-written by Elliot, though she strangely takes no lead vocals. GRADE: C+.
See also Big 3, Cass Elliot, Mamas & The Papas
Kanyina Mukala’s Magoma (UK): Kanyinda Makala’s Magoma (No label, cassette, 1993)
World Music/Progressive
Lorraine Ayensu (occasional vocals), Rosetta Eligon (occasional vocals), Lisa Cherian (percussion)
No prizes for guessing that this is Afro-rock, in this case with jazzy and proggy edges and some long, percussion-driven tracks. The closing ‘Zaïre’ could suggest the origins of some members. GRADE: C+.
MultiFuse (UK): Journey To The Nesting Place (Crooked Cat Music CCM20081, CD, 2008)
Progressive
Cherie Emmitt (lead vocals)
MultiFuse was largely the vehicle of composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist Peter Fallowell, who contributes guitar, keyboards, drums, percussion and harmony vocals here. The album has an unusual style: mellow and pop-influenced, but complex at the same time, with most of it consisting of a single lengthy suite. There’s a definite Magma influence too, but not from the usual end of the band’s repertoire: Fallowell was mainly inspired by the soft, repetitive piano chords and multilayered vocals of Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh rather than the album’s more bombastic moments, meaning that this cannot really be classified as zeuhl. Altogether it’s an impressive piece of work, although too understated and mellow to command attention for most of its duration. GRADE: C+.
MultiFuse (UK): Harmony Of Opposites (Crooked Cat Music, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2014)
Rock/Psychedelic/Progressive
Cherie Emmitt (occasional vocals)
This may open with MDK-style piano, but thereafter zeuhl influences disappear, with the album instead straddling the singer/songwriter, mainstream rock, psychedelic and soft progressive genres. Overall this is less ambitious than their first, and less unusual too, but it’s also more consistent, with Peter Fallowell delivering some excellent material and revealing his prowess as a guitarist. As a footnote, Cherie Emmitt does very little this time around, with almost all the lead vocals being shared by Richard Robinson and Fallowell himself. GRADE: C+.
Sarah Murcia (France): Never Mind The Future (Ayler AYLCD-149, CD, with digipak, 2015)
Jazz/Avant-Garde
Sarah Murcia (joint lead vocals, double bass)
This collection of mildly avant-garde jazz and jazz/rock covers of Sex Pistols numbers is radical, fascinating and surprisingly relaxing. There’s always a danger with this kind of thing that the music crosses over into self-referential cleverness, but Never Mind The Future actually functions as an enjoyable modern jazz album. GRADE: C+.
See also Pearls Of Swines
Murari (USA): Murari (Desire Tree 10999, with insert, 1979)
Country/Folk/Rock
Lynda Hynes
I’d always imagined this Christian communal band’s work to be mystical acoustic folk, but in fact it’s tight, well-arranged electric rural rock. Country/rock isn’t among my favourite genres and there are a few weaker cuts, but overall this is an excellent example of the style – not far behind, say, Jimmy Carter & Dallas County Green. GRADE: C+.
Murari Band (USA): Dreaming (Desire Tree NR12401, 1981)
Folk/Country/Rock
Lynda Hynes (principal vocals, guitar, keyboards)
This is a bit of a step up from their first, with a fine set of songs. The best cut here, and possibly the best thing they ever recorded, is the slow, bluesy ‘Can Somebody Tell Me?’, featuring some atmospheric lead guitar and electric piano work. GRADE: C+.
Murari Band (USA): In Flight (Desire Tree NR14705, 1983)
Rock
Lynda Hynes
Very different to their first two, this is polished eighties rock with AOR edges and elements of urban funk. In keeping with their communal roots, there’s quite a spacy feeling to most of the LP and some rather good jamming sections with mildly trippy guitar work, but this isn’t psychedelic in any significant sense. It is, however, a solid album mixing some very good material with a fair degree of filler. The band subsequently issued a compilation on an obscure Italian label (Musica Divina KC108014, with inner) featuring tracks from their first two LPs. GRADE: C+.
Murietta (USA): Murietta (Cherry Red CR 5103, 1972)
Blues/Rock
Judi Brown (principal vocals)
Blues/rock without the Big Brother & The Holding Company-style psychedelic or garage leanings common to such bands during the era. Well-composed and played throughout, its only notable features are the excellent proggy closer ‘The Second Song’ and the striking cover featuring a man in clown make-up. GRADE: C+.
Paddy Murphy & Marie O’Shea (Ireland): Romantic Ireland (Polydor 2908 008, 1973)
Folk
Marie O’Shea (principal vocals, guitar, piano, viola, recorder)
The obvious comparison here is Shades Of Mac Murrough: this has exactly the same kind of bittersweet atmosphere and ornate backing, with Marie O’Shea providing the arrangements, the bulk of the instruments and most of the vocals. However, both she and husband Paddy Murphy opt for a more classical style of singing, meaning that this may have less broad appeal. GRADE: C+.
Music Box (UK): Songs Of Sunshine (Westwood WSR 013, 1972)
Folk
Pip (organ, percussion, recorder, backing vocals)
An unusual release for the Westwood label, this has no traditional folk or country leanings whatever. Instead it’s mellow contemporary folk, acting as a vehicle for talented singer/songwriter Rob Armstrong, with embellishments from organ and glockenspiel adding a trippy, toytown popsike edge (especially on the standout track ‘The Happy King’). One dealer list declared this to be better than Mellow Candle, but that’s pushing things a bit; in any case, the two albums are completely unalike, with the music here having a lighthearted, good-time feel a world away from Mellow Candle’s mellow introspection and spiritual spaciness. Armstrong later became a renowned luthier, building guitars for George Harrison, Bert Jansch, Alvin Lee and Martin Barre among others. GRADE: C+.
Music Emporium (USA): Music Emporium (Sentinel LP PC 69001, 1969)
Progressive
Carolyn Lee (joint lead vocals, bass, keyboards), Dora Wahl (drums, percussion)
Once the most expensive American psychedelic collectible, Music Emporium’s sole LP has a unique sound. Whilst the songs are all short, the band was more proto-progressive than psychedelic, as song titles like ‘Prelude’ and ‘Catatonic Variations’ imply, with a fondness for odd, minor-key chord progressions and shifts of mood and tempo within songs. The material ranges from uptempo rockers (‘Nam Myo Renge Kyo’, ‘Prelude’, ‘Sun Never Shines’) to dreamy, moody ballads (‘Velvet Sunsets’, ‘Gentle Thursday’, ‘Winds Have Changed’) and occasionally forays into pop (‘Times Like This’), with the only constant being the strong, almost liturgical, organ sound. GRADE: C+.
Música Dispersa (Spain): Música Dispersa (Diábolo S 30.011, with poster, 1970)
Folk/Psychedelic
Selene (joint lead vocals, piano, bongos, flute)
Short, whimsical, hypnotic and trippy, this superb psychedelic folk album hints towards both the Incredible String Band and Catharsis, whilst mixing in local musical traditions. The songs – though they sound more like improvisations – are based around electric guitar, bass, woodwind and hand percussion, sometimes with classically-influenced piano and sometimes with wordless vocals. Some listeners will find the whole thing too inconsequential, but whilst the record never actually goes anywhere it’s a truly mesmerising trip. GRADE: B.
Musica Elettronica Viva (France): The Sound Pool (BYG 529.326, 1970)
Jazz/Avant-Garde
Patricia Coaquette, Constance Abernathy, Barbara Bryant, Nicole Rzewski
If the band name makes you expect something like Mother Mallard’s Portable Masterpiece Company, think again: this is a collection of free-jazz freakouts, not pioneering electronic experimentation. One could regard this as a wilder sidestep from Amon Düül (not Amon Düül II); more pejoratively, one could describe its 41 minutes of shrieking horns and flailing mantric percussion as the worst aspects of avant-jazz jamming extended to album length. It’s all badly recorded in mono too, and a high-resolution 96/24 audiophile remaster has just been announced. What a strange world we live in. GRADE: D.
Musica Elettronica Viva (France): Leave The City (BYG 529.335, 1970)
Avant-Garde
Patricia Coaquette, Birgit Knabe
This is considerably more interesting than their debut; then again, they’d have struggled to produce something significantly less interesting. This time round, the two side-long improvisations (thankfully recorded in stereo) cover a much wider range of ground. ‘Message’ is loose and folky, with slight new age elements, almost mirroring Amon Düül’s transformation on Paradieswarts Düül, though musically it’s closer to the communal style of, say, Furekåben. ‘Cosmic Communion’ is more electronic, with spoken words and synthesiser effects creating a spacy sonic cauldron. But whilst both pieces are sometimes fascinating, they never really hit a groove or go anywhere – but then that probably wasn’t the point. GRADE: C+.
See also Fondation
Musica Ficta (Israel): A Child And A Well (Fading FAD006, CD, Italy, 2012)
Progressive
Julia Feldman (lead vocals)
Giving no hints of its Israeli origins (apart from the Yiddish lyrics, belying the title), the band is rooted in sympho-prog but works in all other kinds of influences. Hard rock guitars, acoustic folky passages, mediaeval touches and outbursts of powerful King Crimson-like prog come and go, with some of the latter moments being truly impressive, but overall it’s an odd and unfocused record that makes little impression. GRADE: C+.
Musique Noise (France): Fulmines Regularis (Muséa FGBG 2028, with insert, 1989)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Isabelle Bruston (joint lead vocals), Cornélia Schmid (joint lead vocals)
This accomplished if not very original zeuhl LP is virtually a homage to late seventies Magma, mainly operating at the jazzier and more accessible end of the band’s repertoire. The 2001 CD reissue (Muséa FGBG 4409.AR) adds almost an album’s worth of additional recordings from December 1992 that were presumably intended to constitute an aborted follow-up; these cuts are more experimental and further removed from zeuhl. GRADE: C+.
See also Various ‘Hur! – Hommage À La Musique De Christian Vander’
Mutantes (Brazil): Os Mutantes (Polydor LPNG 44.018, 1968)
Psychedelic
Rita Lee (joint lead vocals, percussion, flute)
This defining tropicália album covers a variety of late sixties psychedelic and baroque pop styles, with lots of sound effects and orchestrations adding an avant-garde edge. With moods ranging from early Pink Floyd to late Beatles, tempered by plenty of ethnic elements, this is a very varied and original LP that stands as a landmark of its genre and era. GRADE: B.
Mutantes (Brazil): Mutantes (Polydor LPNG 44.026, 1969)
Psychedelic
Rita Lee
Even more eccentric than their first, this is Mutantes’ classic – covering everything from eerie and beautiful folk/rock to weird electronica, heavy acid-rock, circus music and more. The cover (depicting the band in fancy dress, including Rita Lee in a wedding gown on the front, and made up as aliens on the back) gives a fair indication of the disc’s level of eccentricity. GRADE: A–.
Mutantes (Brazil): A Divina Comédia Ou Ando Meio Desligado (Polydor LPNG 44.048, 1970)
Psychedelic
Rita Lee (joint lead vocals, percussion, effects)
The opening title track is a straightforward, rather groovy rock song that makes you think they’ve changed direction completely. However, as the album progresses various weirdnesses come to the fore, though (despite being very varied) this is less genuinely experimental than their first two. Nonetheless, it’s still a very interesting, if sometimes quite patchy, LP that contains some great acid-rock. In particular, the closing instrumental ‘Oh! Mulher Infiel’ has some fantastic fuzz guitar and heavy drumming. GRADE: B.
Mutantes (Brazil): Jardim Elétrico (Polydor 2.451.002, 1971)
Pop/Psychedelic
Rita Lee
Showing a rapid softening of their style, this is often as close to baroque pop and folk/rock as it is to psychedelia. ‘Tecnicolor’ is a beautiful piece of West Coast folk and the title track is a pretty good acid-rocker, but overall this is even less consistent than its predecessor (though it improves as it goes on). GRADE: B–.
Mutantes (Brazil): Tecnicolor (Universal 73145466802, CD, with slipcase, 1999, recorded 1970)
Pop/Psychedelic
Rita Lea (joint lead vocals, keyboards)
Recorded around the same time as Jardim Elétrico, this was an attempt to break Mutantes in Europe and America via an English language album. However, the project was aborted before release, and the album did not see the light of day for almost 30 years. The disc showcases re-recordings of material from across their career, and is very much in the lighter psych/pop style of Jardim Elétrico rather than the more avant-garde mood of their first couple of works. GRADE: B–.
Mutantes (Brazil): E Seus Cometas No País Do Baurets (Polydor 2451 010, 1972)
Rock/Psychedelic/Progressive
Rita Lee
Mutantes’ final album with Rita Lee is largely a record of pastiches – mostly funky rock, but also everything from borderline metal to prog to ballads to rock ’n’ roll. As usual, it’s an eccentric disc, but sometimes the weirdnesses (phasing, vocal ad-libs, falsetto singing, unexpected changes of mood and tempo) sound rather forced and occasionally rather juvenile. Like their last couple of albums, this steadily improves as it progresses, with the second half effortlessly outclassing the first. GRADE: B–.
Mutantes (Brazil): Mutantes Live – Barbican Theatre, London, 2006 (Luaka Bop VVR1047282, DVD plus CD, with digipak and booklet, 2007)
Rock/Psychedelic
Zélia Duncan (joint lead vocals, percussion)
This reunion concert is impressive both musically and visually, with lively performances and an excellent cross-section of material; it must have been a thrilling gig to attend. Zélia Duncan, who was briefly a full-time band member, was also a prolific singer/songwriter, although I haven’t heard her solo LPs. GRADE: B.
Mutantes (Brazil): Haih Or Amortecedor… (Anti- 7041-2, CD, with digipak and booklet, Holland, 2009)
Rock/Psychedelic
Bia Mendes (joint lead vocals, percussion)
With yet another female singer, Mutantes returned with a new studio album that’s patchy and occasionally irritating – but that’s par for the course for them. When this is good, it’s very good, and more importantly it sounds like Mutantes. GRADE: B–.
Mutantes (Brazil): Fool Metal Jack (Krian 302062423-2, CD, with digipak, USA, 2013)
Rock/Psychedelic
Bia Mendes
Comeback album number two is also varied, creative and well crafted. However it’s pleasant rather than challenging, and doesn’t deliver any suprises, which in itself is surprising for a Mutantes album. GRADE: C+.
See also Cilibrinas Do Éden, Rita Lee
Mynd Muzic (UK/USA): Imagine This (Poor Person Productions PPPR3, with booklet and insert, UK, 1994)
Psychedelic
Karen T (occasional vocals)
Typical of early releases on the Poor Person Production label, this largely consists of long, rather formless jams that achieve a genuinely hypnotic quality. How much you enjoy this will depend on your tolerance for trippy, minimalist space jams, but to my ears this is an excellent example of its style, and the album never falters through its many different movements. As a footnote, the CD version (Lone Starfighter LSD 002, USA, 1994) adds a six-minute bonus track. GRADE: B–.
Mynd Muzic (UK/USA): I? A Concept Of Our Reality (Poor Person Productions PPPR6, CD, UK, 1995)
Psychedelic
June Player (occasional vocals)
Like its predecessor, this is shapeless, minimalist and tripped-out to the maximum, almost like a stripped-back version of the Grateful Dead jamming during ‘Dark Star’ or some of the material from Blues For Allah. Many modern bands have offered these kinds of free-from jams, but few have done it as satisfyingly as this. GRADE: B–.
Mynd Muzic (UK/USA): Muzical Myndz (Poor Person Productions PPPR17, CDR, with pen, UK, 1998)
Psychedelic
Mandie Tor (occasional vocals)
The final Mynd Muzic album is essentially performed by the duo of Bob Bone and Dave Tor (Mandie Tor is credited as a full band member, but contributes only the spoken vocal and lyrics for the very short title track). It’s even more formless than their earlier work, once again recalling the Dead but this time at their most aimless; whilst the results are enjoyable, the album is frequently directionless and only occasionally particularly diverting. GRADE: C+.
See also Apotheosis, Bus Trip, Earcandy, Famous Unknowns, Ozley’s Acid
Carrl & Janie Myriad (New Zealand): Of All The Wounded People (Spin SEL 934477, Australia 1972)
Folk/Country/Rock
Janie Myriad (joint lead vocals, guitar, dulcimer, recorder)
Although this duo was from New Zealand, their rare album was only issued in Australia. It’s an excellent set of hippie folk and country/rock that may be too mellow in parts for some tastes, but the songwriting is extremely strong throughout. There are no really weak moments, but the best cuts are the slightly spooky and mildly psychedelic ‘The Ballad Of Rachelene’, which has a powerful acid guitar solo, and the gorgeous folk/rocker ‘Lovers In The Mirror’. GRADE: B–.
Mystery Maker (UK): Mystery Maker (Caves UHC 3, with booklet, 1977)
Folk
Joan Evans (occasional vocals)
This Christian band started life as Anawim, contributing several tracks to the 1975 Charisma label compilation Beyond An Empty Dream. Two years later they issued this extremely rare private pressing as Mystery Maker. The disc is sometimes compared to Ithaca in dealer lists, but for the most part I don’t see the resemblance: Mystery Maker is certainly not symphonic, and not really progressive in any way, consisting mainly of haunting and rather eerie electric folk music. The rock elements are more prominent on side two, particularly on the title track, with its heavy electric guitar chords, and on the elegiac closer ‘The Road To Emmaus’, which climaxes with a stunning solo. GRADE: C+.
See also Various 'Beyond An Empty Dream'
Mystic Charm (Holland): Shadows Of The Unknown (Shiver SHR 008, CD, Belgium, 1995)
Metal
Rini Lipman (lead vocals, keyboards)
I like the backing on this doom metal album, which sometimes reminds me of the great Blood Ceremony. However, Rini Lipman’s death vocals don’t appeal at all and they’re not great songwriters, so whilst this is powerful it isn’t hugely memorable. GRADE: C+.
Mystic Zephyrs 4 (USA): Maybe (Two:Dot HRH 6873, 1974)
Pop/‘Incredibly Strange Music’
Lynne Macleod (joint lead vocals, guitar, flute), Gayle Macleod (joint lead vocals, keyboards), Joyce Macleod (occasional vocals, drums)
This mostly female family band (comprising 18-year-old Lynne, who writes and arranges almost everything, 14-year-old Gayle, 12-year-old Joyce and 16-year-old Keith on joint lead vocals, guitar, trumpet and trombone) is often compared to the Shaggs. However, the vibe is somewhat different, with more of a soft pop sensibility and much more proficient singing and musicianship (though the vibe is still very strange and Joyce has a Shaggs-like predilection for odd, busy rhythmic fills). On ‘Into Our Band’, they sound uncannily like the Daisy Chain, whilst ‘Reach Out To The Universe’ sounds like mystical hippie pop through a bizarre ‘real people’ prism. This mind-boggling masterpiece was also released as a single (Two:Dot HRH 4172) backed by another album track ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’; the band also had two non-album 45s (‘Oh… My Hands’/‘Youth Quake’, HRH 1171, and ‘Searching’/‘Hey, Son’, HRH 5471). These songs are equally charming, with all their records making for delightful period pieces. GRADE: C+.
Mythologic (USA): Standing In Stillness (Progressive Music Management PMM 0600, CD, 2003)
Metal/Progressive
Melissa Blair (lead vocals)
This is basically the third Leger De Main album, with the addition of a second guitarist and the adoption of a heavier, more metallic sound. Although some of the crushing riffs work well enough, this simply serves to confirm that I really do not like their messy, tuneless songwriting style or Melissa Blair’s frequently off-key singing. GRADE: C–.
See also Leger De Main
