Vi-Vu

Victoria (USA): Victoria (Dirty Martha TP 61471, no sleeve, 1971)
Psychedelic/Progressive
Maureen Deidelbaum, Cheryl Simpson, Sharon Barton
This mostly female band produced one of the more unusual mega-rarities of the psychedelic era. Side one consists of six short songs, mostly in a dreamy pop vein with gentle vocals, organ and horns, though ‘Gevaro’ is hard-edged psychedelia with acid leads. In contrast, side two is given over to two lengthy experimental pieces: the 12½-minute ‘Village Of Etaf’ and the eight-minute ‘Core Of The Apple’. The former is slightly amateurish jazzy prog, whilst the latter has a heavier psychedelic mood crossed with a slight school project feel. Overall, it’s an odd and uneven LP, but mostly a very winsome and effective one. The lavishly packaged CD reissue on Seven Little Indians (which comes with a red velvet and gold foil digipak and photo booklet) adds seven bonus tracks taken from a 10" acetate and an unreleased master tape. These abandon the psychedelic and progressive stylings of the LP and are in more of a singer/songwriter, soft pop or folk/rock vein. A variant original pressing exists as Kings, Queens And Jokers (No label), which has a hand-stamped cover and a number of inserts (photos and press cuttings). For some reason, this version omits one track. GRADE: B–.

Vidéo-Aventures (France): Musiques Pour Garçons Et Filles (Recommended RR 8.75, 10", with printed plastic outer, UK, 1981)
Progressive/Pop
Monique Alba (keyboards)
This 20-minute mini-album offers eight instrumental vignettes, ranging from just under half a minute to a fraction under five. With synthesisers and sequencers driving most of the music, the results fringe pop on one hand and the avant-garde on the other, nod towards Kraftwerk and occasionally draw on classical music and musique concrète, with the whole thing having a playful and inconsequential feel (notably on their cover of ‘Telstar’). The excellent CD reissue (Spalax CD 14973, 1997) adds a dozen bonus cuts that more than double the running time; these are much weirder and more diverse than most of the album proper. GRADE: C+.
Vidéo-Aventures (France): Camera (In Focus) (Tago Mago TM 331, 1984)
Avant-Garde/Progressive/Jazz
Monique Alba (bass, keyboards, accordion)
With their second album, they went completely over-the-top, creating an avant-garde set that goes in all kinds of different directions from freakish RIO through to the light-hearted electronica of their first. Along the way there are all kinds of bizarre diversions and some truly peculiar vocals, all adding up to a record as odd as one would expect from the cast of musicians involved (Dominique Grimaud, Guigou Chenevier, Jac Berrocal, Sophie Jausserand and Gilbert Artman). GRADE: B–.
Vidéo-Aventures (France): Moonbeam Movies (ADN RECO2, double cassette, with booklet and VHS case, 1990)
Avant-Garde/Progressive
Monique Alba (guitar, keyboards, harmonica, pipe)
The filmic elements apparent in their name and earlier music are given full rein here: Moonbeam Movies stitches dialogue from diverse films together with equally diverse instrumental vignettes: all very odd and low-key and mostly quite pastoral. The result is an interesting piece of sonic art in an equally interesting package (and a curious one too: with a running time of around an hour they could have used a single cassette or of course a CD) but there’s nothing here of any great substance. GRADE: C+.
Vidéo-Aventures (France): Oscillations (Gazul HA8557, CD, with poster booklet, 2011, recorded 1979-1984)
Electronic
Monique Alba
This unusual collection gathers 17 instrumental demos, some of which later became finished tracks and others of which were previously unreleased. With all the music played on solo synthesiser, it’s a quirky, intriguing and hypnotic set of minimalist electronic pop. It’s unclear whether Monique Alba actually appears here, or whether the demos were performed solely by Dominique Grimaud. GRADE: C+.
See also Peach Cobbler

Viima (Finland): Ajatuksia Maailman Laidalta (Viima, CD, 2006)
Progressive
Päivi Kylmänen (lead vocals)
Modern bands playing majestic, lyrical, folk-edged symphonic progressive blending elements of Renaissance, Genesis and Camel is nothing new. But Viima do it vastly better than most, with some sumptuous instrumental textures, beautiful melodies, interesting diversions and a refreshing lack of ostentation. GRADE: B–.

Kate Village & Wayne Rogers (USA): Quits (Twisted Village TW-1052, 2001)
Garage/Psychedelic/Avant-Garde
Kate Biggar (guitar)
The subtitle ‘electric guitar duets’ sums this up perfectly: this is simply Wayne Rogers and Kate Biggars’s guitars harmonising and trading feedback, without vocals, a rhythm section or any kind of melody or structure. The results are interesting and minimalist, but this isn’t an album that invites repeated plays. GRADE: C+.
See also BORB, Crystalized Movements, Heathen Shame, Magic Hour, Major Stars, Various ‘Deep Funnels Of Entry – A Twisted Village Compilation’, Various ‘Marvelous Sound Forms’, Vermonster, Wormdoom

Ville Emard Blues Band (Canada): Minute! S’En Vient Is Coming (No label CT 39505, 1973)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Christiane Robichaud (joint lead vocals), Lise Cousineau (joint lead vocals)
Bringing together musicians from Contraction, Harmonium and Toubabou, Ville Emard Blues Band issued their live debut LP as an official bootleg (with home-made packaging to match) while they finalised a proper record deal. Much jazzier than any of the constituent bands, they offered some excellent prog with funky elements. ‘Yama Nekh’ was later reworked for the first Toubabou album. GRADE: C+.
Ville Emard Blues Band (Canada): Live À Montréal (Funkébec FK2-700, double, with poster, 1974)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Christiane Robichaud (joint lead vocals, tambourine), Lise Cousineau (joint lead vocals, tambourine)
This expansive live double album reproduces several numbers from Minute! (although from a different performance) and adds plenty of new material to deliver the band’s magnum opus. Whilst such a large collective inevitably created unfocused music, touching on just about every strand of seventies underground rock, there’s some superb material here, including the soaring ‘Ste-Melanie Blues’ and the ornate, keyboard-led progressive instrumental ‘Ode À Une Belle Inconnue’. GRADE: C+.
Ville Emard Blues Band (Canada): Ville Emard (Funkébec FK 602, with insert, 1975)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Christiane Robichaud (joint lead vocals), Estelle Ste-Croix (joint lead vocals, piano)
Their sole studio album is every bit as schizophrenic as the live double, ranging from bluesy, funky rock to jazzy jams to haunting singer/songwriter material. Once again, there’s some good music on here, but – like many large supergroup projects – it often sounds more like a compilation than the work of a proper band. GRADE: C+.
Ville Emard Blues Band (Canada): Live Au Festival Des Musiques Progressives De Montréal 2007 (ProgQuébec MPM30, CD, 2008)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Kathleen Sergerie (principal vocals), Isabelle Lemay (occasional vocals), Gabrielle Gagnon (backing vocals)
This one-off reunion saw four original band members team up with several other musicians and three female vocalists (prolific pop singer Kathleen Sergerie, Box member Isabelle Lemay, and Gabrielle Gagnon, presumably daughter of founding member Bill). This is actually stronger and more consistent than any of their seventies releases: a powerful and punchy set of jams and songs that manages to cover various aspects of their repertoire while still sounding cohesive. GRADE: B–.
See also Alexandrins, Box, Contraction, Cousineau, Franck Dervieux, Eternité, Toubabou

Vinegar (West Germany): Vinegar (Werner Purrmann WP 710101, 1971)
Progressive
Dagmar Dormagen (joint lead vocals, flute)
This obscure German album takes many of its cues from Amon Düül II, mostly resembling Yeti but occasionally Phallus Dei. Unlike Amon Düül II, they weren’t great composers, with the result that the tracks feel rather fragmented and amateurish, although they are full of fascinating if disjointed musical passages. Overall, this is a remarkably dark and gloomy album, dominated by minor-key electric guitar and violin on mostly instrumental pieces, although Dagmar Dormagen’s voice further increases the sense of foreboding on ‘Sawmill – Teil I’ (on which she bears a remarkable resemblance to Renate Knaup-Krötenschwanz). GRADE: B–.

Vinegar Joe (UK): Vinegar Joe (Island ILPS 9183, with inner, 1972)
Rock
Elkie Brooks (joint lead vocals, percussion)
More laid-back and folkish than their subsequent albums, this also lacks the fierce eclecticism of the band’s earlier LP as Dada. Accomplished and enjoyable, though sometimes a little lightweight, it’s chiefly notable for Elkie Brooks’s astonishing falsetto vocals on ‘Early Monday Morning’. GRADE: C+.
Vinegar Joe (UK): Rock ’N’ Roll Gypsies (Island ILPS 9214, 1972)
Rock
Elkie Brooks (principal vocals)
As its title suggests, this focuses on the more raucous side of the band’s repertoire, and probably gives a good indication of what they sounded like live. That’s not always a good thing (I could easily do without their interpretation of ‘Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On’), but when it all comes together the level of energy is unparalleled (the astounding ‘Charley’s Horse’, on which the band in general and Elkie Brooks in particular sound on the verge of losing control completely). GRADE: C+.
Vinegar Joe (UK): Six Star Gypsies (Island ILPS 9262, with inner, 1973)
Rock
Elkie Brooks (joint lead vocals, piano)
The final and finest Vinegar Joe album is very much a game of two halves. The four tracks fronted by Elkie Brooks are quite superb, ranging from savagely intense high energy bluesy rockers (‘Proud To Be (A Honky Woman)’ and ‘Let Me Down Easy’) to the haunting balladry of ‘Lady Of The Rain’. But it’s ‘Black Smoke Rising From The Calumet’ for which the band will always be remembered, with its odd, eerie lyrics, swirling musical arrangement and mystical atmosphere. It also demonstrates Brooks’s sheer class as a singer – witness how she effortlessly switches from the clear, piercing tones of the intro to the smoky croon of the song proper. However, the remaining six tracks, mostly sung by Robert Palmer, are for the most part pure filler. GRADE: C+.
Vinegar Joe (UK): Pop Spectacular Featuring Vinegar Joe In Concert (BBC Transcription Services CN 1952/S, no sleeve, 1973)
Rock
Elkie Brooks (joint lead vocals)
This live set is arguably Vinegar Joe’s best appearance on vinyl, focusing exclusively on Six Star General and mainly on the Brooks-fronted numbers. Quite simply, they must have been astounding live. The other side of the LP is given over to Caravan. GRADE: B–.
See also Elkie Brooks, Dada, Various ‘Flash Fearless Vs The Zorg Women, Parts 5 & 6!’, Steve York’s Camelo Pardalis

Viper Solfa (Norway): Carving An Icon (Massacre MAS CD0889, CD, Germany, 2015)
Metal
Miriam Elisabeth Renvåg (joint lead vocals)
This project, led by Trail Of Tears’ Ronny Thorsen, is uncannily similar to Renvåg’s old band Ram-Zet. Whether it’s quite the equal of Ram-Zet’s best work is debatable, but all the elements are here: the combination of blackened and melodic vocals, the same wild tempo changes and the same eclecticism. As with Ram-Zet, it’s all a bit relentless but it’s certainly inventive and bracing. GRADE: B–.
See also Ram-Zet

Virgin Black (Australia): Sombre Romantic (No label, CD, 2000)
Metal/Progressive
Samantha Escarbe (guitar)
Virgin Black was the project of astonishingly versatile vocalist Rowan London and remarkably talented guitarist Samantha Escarbe, who conclusively demonstrate their mettle on their third release (following two EPs). Blending classical music with various strands of metal (doom, gothic, even occasionally industrial), Sombre Romantic offers a stunning tapestry of music that ranges from heavy riffing to Gregorian chant, from solo piano to death vocals and acapella singing. Its synthesis of classical and rock elements is entirely different from, say, Therion: here there is little bombast and the feel of the music is dark and mournful rather than majestic and uplifting. The result is a landmark album. GRADE: B.
Virgin Black (Australia): Elegant… And Dying (The End TE037, CD, USA, 2003)
Metal/Progressive
Samantha Escarbe (guitar, cello)
This is slightly different from their first, with the classical elements somewhat toned down (though there are still choral backing vocals, delivering an epic sound). It also lacks the element of surprise of its predecessor, ploughing a similar furrow in a more rock-oriented vein. At times stunning, at times majestic, at times ponderous, it’s decidedly less consistent, but when it works it’s quite remarkable. GRADE: B–.
Virgin Black (Australia): Requiem – Pianissimo (No label, CD, 2018, recorded 2006)
Classical/Progressive
Susan Johnson (joint lead vocals)
For their third album, Virgin Black embarked on a hugely ambitious three-part requiem, starting with a purely classical movement (Pianissimo), moving through a section blending an orchestra with the band (Mezzo Forte) and culminating in a movement slanted towards metal (Fortissimo). Oddly, they were released out of sequence, with Pianissimo not appearing until 2018. Musically, this is beautiful and majestic but also a little ponderous, which appears to be something of a hallmark of their work. GRADE: B–.
Virgin Black (Australia): Requiem – Mezzo Forte (The End TE081, CD, USA, 2007)
Metal/Progressive
Susan Johnson (joint lead vocals), Samantha Escarbe (guitar)
The second part of the trilogy is a slight step up, with the metal and classical elements blending effectively. Slow, spare and majestic, this is beautiful stuff, and certainly among the better symphonic metal releases, but once again it doesn’t have the sheer daring of their first album. GRADE: B–.
Virgin Black (Australia): Requiem – Fortissimo (The End TE097, CD, USA, 2008)
Metal/Progressive
Susan Johnson (joint lead vocals), Samantha Escarbe (guitar)
The final movement of the requiem is perhaps the best: imposing doomdeath with classical music edges. Orchestration and choirs are used more sparingly here, though to great effect, and the gradual shift from classical to metal over the trilogy is extremely effective. By any standard, Virgin Black were an exceptional band, and it’s a pity they did not continue their musical career. GRADE: B–.

Virgin House (Japan): Dream Way/Sun (Nash MN-3012NS, 1978)
Progressive
This extremely rare private pressing offers excellent progressive rock with a bright but mellow sound. Most tracks feature gentle massed female vocals (reminding me of the Welsh band Sidan or something from a secondary school play) and soft keyboard-led arrangements, but there is also plenty of powerful guitar work (particularly on a couple of superb long instrumentals). It does tail off slightly towards the end, though, with a classical string instrumental (lovely but a little incongruous – almost like a misplaced overture) and a male vocal soft rocker (good, but the female vocalists are superior). This is definitely one of the better Japanese progressive albums and well worth a listen. GRADE: B.

Virgin Insanity (USA): Illusions Of The Maintenance Man (Funky 72411, with insert, 1971)
Folk/Rock
Eve Long (joint lead vocals)
One of the most expensive American private pressings, this is also one of the earliest albums to channel the third Velvet Underground LP (which perversely makes it sound ahead of its time, as such music became commonplace in the eighties). That said, they also have one foot in straightforward folk, and on occasions the mock-Velvets hesitant vocals cross the line into out-of-tune (notably becoming excruciating on ‘Touch The Sky’), so whilst this is quaint and atmospheric it would have benefited from a little more polish. GRADE: C+.
Virgin Insanity (USA): Toad Frog And Fish Friends/The Odometer Suite (P-Vine PCD-23740, CD, with minisleeve, booklet and obi, Japan, 2006, recorded 1971-2005)

Folk/Rock
Eve Long (occasional vocals)
This fascinating archive release couples the band’s unreleased second album Toad Frog And Fish Friends from 1971 and Bob Long’s unreleased solo album The Odometer Suite from 1972 with two 2005 recordings from his new band Blink Of An I. The 1972 set is very similar to their first LP, the solo album is slightly folkier and significantly more polished, and the two recent cuts respectively offer a hard rocker and a religious ballad, rounding off a thoroughly enjoyable set. GRADE: C+.

Virgule 4 (France): Des Accords D’Accord (Muséa FGBG 2013, with booklet, 1988)
Jazz/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Christiane Cohade (joint lead vocals, bass), Cathy Valade (joint lead vocals, synthesiser, marimba), Isabelle Lentin (joint lead vocals, drums), Françoise Morel (joint lead vocals, cello)
This obscure all-female band, which includes two members of L’Empire Des Sons, cut a sole album of mainly instrumental jazz/rock. Fringing RIO, it’s quite weird yet relaxed and melodic at the same time, with a rather casual and inconsequential feel. Apparently the album came with a thick booklet, although both my copies lack this. GRADE: C+.
See also Christiane Maria Cohade, L’Empire Des Sons, Les I

Viriditas (UK): Red Mars (No label, CD, with digipak, 2018)
Progressive
Julie Kvaerndrup (joint lead vocals), Hannah Bridge (occasional vocals)
This is agreeable enough neoprogressive, with a base of solid riffing and some nice symphonic keyboards. They have a few hints of ambition too – the longest piece on this concept album exceeds 25 minutes – but this is not original or groundbreaking music and there’s nothing here you won’t have heard before. GRADE: C+.
Viriditas (UK): Green Mars (No label, double CD, with digipak, 2021)
Progressive
Julie Kvaerndrup (joint lead vocals, keyboards), Hannah Bridge (joint lead vocals)
The band describe this as ‘a truly gigantic album’ and ‘the result of two years of work’ and I have no difficulty believing them: this enormous set runs for more than two-and-a-half hours. However, whilst it’s inevitably more wide-ranging than their first, I’d question their claim that it offers ‘instrumental virtuosity’ and is ‘full of twists and turns, new stylistic development and throwbacks to classic prog bands’ as ultimately this is agreeable neoprog rather than anything particularly profound. GRADE: C+.

Virus (West Germany): Thoughts (Pilz 20 21102-9, 1971)
Blues/Rock/Progressive/Psychedelic
Elga Blask (joint lead vocals)
This obsure Krautrock album bears a considerable resemblance to Frumpy, but is darker, wilder, more psychedelic and more theatrical – particularly on opener ‘King Heroin’ and ‘Take Your Thoughts’ (whose lyrics concern suicide). Elga Blask’s androgynous vocals resemble a deeper-voiced Inga Rumpf, and since there are no musician credits, some sources believe that she was not in fact a member and that all the vocals are male. GRADE: B–.
See also City Preachers

Vision Of Sunshine (USA): Vision Of Sunshine (Avco Embassy AVE 33007, 1970)
Folk/Progressive
Jane Baltinhouse (joint lead vocals), Terri Osiecki (flute), Mary Till (flute)
The band name and album cover suggest sunshine pop, but this is anything but. In fact, it’s a beautiful and sometimes quite complex progressive folk LP, with lush arrangements built around hand percussion, cello and flutes. At times it’s a little precious, but the songwriting is consistently fine and the double-tracked female vocals quite heavenly. It’s hard to find comparisons among contemporaneous LPs: the nearest point of reference I can find is a mixture of It’s A Beautiful Day on their first album and the Incredible String Band in their more coherent moments. GRADE: B–.

Lito Vitale, Verónica Condomi & Liliana Vitale (Argentina): Maria Elena De Nosotros (MIA C3-010, 1976)
Lounge/Singer/Songwriter/Folk/Rock
Liliana Vitale (joint lead vocals), Verónica Condomi (joint lead vocals)
This side-project by two members of MIA and a band associate is, of all things, a children’s album – that unwelcome oddity that blights many an artist’s discography. This, however, is a reasonably good example of the breed, with Lito Vitale providing all the musical backing and the two women adding suitably gentle and delicate vocals. For sure, there’s a definite end-of-the-pier lounge vibe to it all and its hesitant, naïve quality immediately marks it out as a kids’ LP, but on the plus side they wisely resisted any temptation to include an actual kiddie choir. GRADE: C.
Lliana Vitale & Verónica Condomi (Argentina): Danzas De Adelina (Ciclo 3 CD-009, 1981)
Folk/Classical/Avant-Garde
Liliana Vitale (joint lead vocals, percussion, recorder), Verónica Condomi (joint lead vocals, percussion, recorder)
Quite different from its predecessor, this mostly features the two women acapella, with occasional percussion and recorder. Betwixt folk, choral classical, ethnic and singer/songwriter music, it’s all haunting, beautiful and very relaxing – apart from the avant-garde moment on side two consisting of wild screaming and sobbing. GRADE: C+.
Lliana Vitale & Verónica Condomi (Argentina): Camasunqui (Ciclo 3 CS-019, 1984)
Folk/Jazz/World Music/Avant-Garde
Liliana Vitale (joint lead vocals, percussion, recorder, moxeño), Verónica Condomi (joint lead vocals, percussion, recorder, moxeño)
Following the same approach as its predecessor, this is slightly more oriented towards jazz and world music, with fewer classical references and somewhat subtler experimentation. Once again, it’s an interesting and minimalist piece that uses the women’s voices to excellent effect. GRADE: C+.
Liliana Vitale (Argentina): Mama, Dejs Que Entren Por La Ventana Los Siete Mares (Diffusion C3-023, with insert, 1985)
Singer/Songwriter
Liliana Vitale (lead vocals, piano)
The tag ‘singer/songwriter’ is arguably a misnomer, as Vitale’s MIA colleague Alberto Muñoz wrote all the material, but it’s the only logical way to describe this sedate but quite emotional piano-based music. With sparse, slightly jazzy backing, this is a lovely and atmospheric LP with a quite different mood from her earlier work. GRADE: C+.

Liliana Vitale (Argentina): Canta (Ciclo 3 CPP M032, with inner, 1987)
Jazz/World Music
Lilina Vitale (lead vocals, piano)
Different yet again from its predecessor, this still has definite singer/songwriter elements but is essentially a blend of Latin and jazz elements. It’s pleasant stuff and maybe a slight step up from her last effort, though it’s not an album anyone really needs to go out of their way to hear. GRADE: C+.

Vitamiin (Estonia): Vitamiin (Melodiya C60 20631 008, USSR, 1984)
Pop/Rock/Progressive
Mayt Maltees (joint lead vocals)
Even by the standards of Soviet releases, this Estonian outfit’s album is truly bizarre. The first cut is horrible funky pop, the second a pleasant cover of Chris Rea’s ‘Fool If You Think It’s Over’, and the third a prog-tinged hard rocker. All are characterised by terrible eighties drumming and synthesiser sounds. Then on side two, it briefly drops some of the eighties influences and offers some great sympho-prog, plus a peculiar version of ‘Ave Maria’. GRADE: C–.

Betty Vittori & Eugenio Catina (Italy): Mediterranean View (Panastudio Productions CDJ 1035-2, CD, 1999)
Folk/Rock
Betty Vittori (lead vocals)
This short album (eight songs in 32¼ minutes) by a duo of a singer and multi-instrumentalist is beautiful, tasteful and atmospheric. Its jazzy acoustic arrangements – simultaneously sparse and intricate – are refined and exceptionally well-judged. As such, this may be too delicate and lacking in rough edges for some ears, but it’s the kind of album that’s perfect for some moods and circumstances (such as a day listening to knotty experimental metal or avant-prog). As a footnote, Betty Vittori issued several other albums which I have never encountered. GRADE: C+.

Vittorio & Birgitte (Italy): Plaisir D’Amour (RCA PSL 10527, 1972)
Folk
Birgitte Lindhardt (lead vocals)
This unusual duo comprised a singer and a cellist, with a guest acoustic guitarist featured throughout. Mixing covers of Donovan and Dylan with traditional English material, they create a haunting mood with strong classical edges. Some may find this a little formal in parts and a little MOR in others (with the title track bringing to mind Nana Mouskouri), but Brigitte Lindhardt has a beautiful voice and the arrangements are perfectly judged, creating a charming and delicate album. In any case, the closing version of ‘Blowing In The Wind’ is possibly the most interesting thing on offer, with heavily fuzzed cello adding a slightly psychedelic edge not evident elsewhere. GRADE: C+.

Viuda Negra & others (Chile): Cazuela Rock (KZ, CDR, 1992)
Metal
This short (26 minutes) promo-only compilation features four Chilean hard rock and metal bands: Mungo Alex, Crepusculo, Panchorrata and the female-fronted Viuda Negra, who get two songs apiece. Apart from the opening cover of ‘Baby Come Back’, which is in more of a punk vein, they offer stripped-down metal with a nice garage sound. So far as I am aware, none of the bands recorded again. GRADE: C+.

Viv Akauldren (USA): Old Bags And Party Rags (Akashic, some on purple vinyl, with inserts and tattoo, 1985)
Rock/Psychedelic/New Wave
Deb Agolli (drums)
Driven by Deb Agolli’s metronomic drumming and bolstered by a superb recording, this is far from any conventional notion of an eighties psychedelic LP. The sparse yet dynamic music here, heavily influenced by the new wave, is propulsive and sometimes even funky, but it’s also notably less trippy than the band’s reputation as a stalwart of eighties psychedelia might suggest. GRADE: C+.
Viv Akauldren (USA): I’ll Call You Sometime (Akashic, LP plus 7”, with inner, 1987)
Garage/Psychedelic
Deb Agolli (drums, backing vocals)
The wild lo-fi psychedelia of the opening ‘Of’ makes clear that this is going to be nothing like their well-mannered first, and this is varied indeed, from the spooky psych-folk of ‘Along The Way’ (probably the best number) to two delicate instrumentals (‘The Maker Of The Sun And Moon’ and ‘Farrowbone’). Meanwhile, the bonus EP contains even more freeform material, providing an excellent complement to the album proper. Whilst rarely brilliant, this is certainly an interesting and varied set, and like the (very) vaguely comparable Crystalized Movements Viv Akauldren should be congratulated for keeping this kind of music alive during the dark days of the eighties. GRADE: C+.
Viv Akauldren (USA): Witness (Resonance 08904-1, 1989)
Garage/Psychedelic
Deb Agolli
This EP is far less adventurous than I’ll Call You Sometime but also more consistent, offering more-than-decent garage psych with the more precise playing and recording that characterised their debut. For sure, this isn’t going to shift your paradigms, but it passes the best part of 25 minutes pleasantly enough. GRADE: C+.

Viv Akauldren (USA): Vivian’s Fountain (Resonance 19012-2, CD, 1990)
Psychedelic
Deb Agolli (drums, backing vocals)
This final outing is probably Viv Akauldren’s most well-rounded album, though I’ll Call You Sometime remains by far their most adventurous. But whilst I like their psych/garage/indie-rock crossover, it once again doesn’t make enough of an impression on me that I can award it anything higher than a C+. GRADE: C+.

Vizion (USA): Rock For Your Life (Future FUT 88008, with inner, 1980)
Metal
Jan Houston (lead vocals, percussion)
On hearing this again, I first thought that my previous grade (C–) was somewhat harsh and was initially won over by the band’s tough AOR hard rock (somewhere between Jefferson Starship’s Freedom At Point Zero and Grace Slick’s Welcome To The Wrecking Ball), featuring some excellent guitar work. However, the relentless banality of the lyrics (as titles like ‘Rock Star Queen’ and ‘Jo Jo High Jump’ suggest) subsequently reinforced my first impression. Nonetheless, this is fun stuff: partly for its ‘Spinal Tap’-esque qualities and partly for the huge disconnect between their musical prowess and their level of intelligence and good taste. GRADE: C.

Vly (UK/USA/Italy/Sweden): I / [Time] (The Laser’s Edge LE1074, CD, with digipak and booklet, USA, 2015)
Progressive
Elisa Montaldo (keyboards)
This multinational supergroup includes both Elisa Montaldo of Il Tempio Delle Clessidre and Mattias Olsson of Änglagård and White Willow, but doesn’t really sound like any of those bands. Far less progressive and adventurous, this is mellow, atmospheric rock with a bit of a singer/songwriter feel, dominated by elegant and mellifluous guitar work – nice, relaxing stuff but also pretty mellow and sedate.

GRADE: C+.
See also Tempio Delle Clessidre

Vôdûn (UK): Eat Up The Sun (No label, CD, with minisleeve, 2014)
Metal
Chantal Brown
At 22 minutes, this demo EP is more a calling card than a heavyweight artistic statement, but it demonstrates Vôdûn to be an interesting and supple heavy rock band. Chantal Brown’s soulful vocals and some prominent, vaguely African, drumming both add distinction, but overall this is pretty straightforward stuff – though not necessarily the worse for it. GRADE: C+.
Vôdûn (UK): Possession (Riff Rock RIFFROCK002CD, CD, with digipak, 2017)
Metal
Chantal Brown
The band’s much-vaunted African influence is evident in the sleeve artwork and lyrics but less so in the music, which – once again – is straight heavy rock with vaguely tribal drumming and soul-inflected vocals. As someone who favours the eclectic and experimental, I find this enjoyable enough but also find myself wishing they’d stretch out and really push some boundaries. GRADE: C+.
Vôdûn (UK): Ascend (New Heavy Sounds NHSCD022, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2018)
Metal
Chantal Brown
Whilst in the same style as their first two, this is altogether more confident, with assertive riffs and effective tribal drumming sometimes making it resemble a heavier, meaner version of Goat. But whereas Goat are always innovating and changing styles, Vôdûn have clearly found their niche and chosen to stick with it – for better and worse. GRADE: C+.