Ei-El

Eider Stellaire (France): Eider Stellaire (No label K 001, 1981)
Progressive
Véronique Perrault (joint lead vocals), Marie-Anne Boda (joint lead vocals, flute)
Taking all its cues from Magma, this is a powerful album of high-energy zeuhl with dual female vocals and plenty of heavy guitar work. There’s nothing very original here, but in terms of Magma-influenced albums from the seventies and early eighties this is probably second only to Eskaton’s 4 Visions. The first pressing is very rare, as only 50 copies came with the original sleeve (a thin laminated affair depicting a dark blue star map). Later copies used the same disc tipped into the cover for their second album, with an explanatory insert added; even these copies are quite difficult to find. GRADE: B–.
Eider Stellaire (France): 3 (Muséa FGBG 2009, 1987)
Progressive
Isabelle Nuffer (piano)
Their third and final album (their second was recorded by an all-male line-up, with Marie-Anne Boda playing flute on one cut) is a wholly instrumental affair. With just three long tracks, this has lots of fiery instrumental work but also a rather slick jazz-fusion feel that takes it into dimensions beyond zeuhl. Overall it’s a fine and very virtuosic record, but not one with a great deal of experimentation or personality. GRADE: C+.
See also Altaïs

Eight Bells (USA): The Captain’s Daughter (Seventh Rule SRULE031, CD, with digipak, 2013)
Psychedelic/Metal
Melynda Jackson (occasional vocals, guitar), Haley Westeiner (occasional vocals, bass)
The first album by SubArachnoid Space’s successor band is both heavier and trippier than almost anything they released in their former incarnation. Some vocals on one number add a little variety whilst suggesting new directions for the group, and whilst this clocks in at only 31 minutes it’s consistently impressive and intensive. GRADE: B–.

Eight Bells (USA): Landless (Battleground BGR020, CD, with digipak, 2016)
Metal/Progressive
Melynda Jackson (joint lead vocals, guitar), Haley Westeiner (joint lead vocals, bass, piano)
Here they slough off their earlier incarnation altogether: this is progressive metal not heavy psychedelia and entirely song-based (though still with lots of long instrumental jams). It’s rather impressive too, drawing heavily on doom but adding lots of atmospheric touches to sit alongside similar modern stylists like Grayceon or Giant Squid. GRADE: B–.
Eight Bells (USA): Legacy Of Ruin (Prophecy Productions PRO307, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2022)
Metal/Progressive
Melynda Jackson (joint lead vocals, guitar)
This isn’t exactly inferior to their first two – in fact, its take on progressive doom is sometimes quite epic – but it delivers less in the way of surprises. It’s also somewhat lacking in truly memorable riffs, which tend to be the lifeblood of this sort of thing, so it’s a solid rather than spectacular addition to their oeuvre. GRADE: C+.
See also SubArachnoid Space

Eighteenth Day Of May (UK): The Eighteenth Day Of May (Hannibal HNCD 1496, CD, 2005)
Folk/Rock
Allison Brice (principal vocals, harmonium, flute, dulcimer), Alison Cotton (viola)
With a strong early seventies flavour, this is an excellent electric folk album with a subtle psychedelic edge. The band’s style falls somewhere between Fairport Convention and Pentangle, with hints of a more modern festival sensibility, and the bulk of the material is self-penned. Given the disc’s quality, it’s a great pity that the band never issued a follow-up. GRADE: B–.

Eighth Day (USA): On The Eighth Day (Kapp KS 3554, 1968)
Pop
Nancy, Melanie, Dee
This big production studio pop LP has lush harmonies and lots of horns, but whilst clearly inspired by the Mamas & The Papas (‘It Takes The Rain’ directly lifts the backing vocal arrangement from ‘Monday Monday’) it doesn’t exude the same class. Nonetheless, it’s a charming (if generic) period piece, peaking on the minor-key ‘Building With A Steeple’ and heavier ‘A Million Lights’; but most of the songs owe more to the Brill Building or the urban nightclub scene than the hippie era. GRADE: C.

Éishtlinn (Belgium/Ireland): Éist Linn (Kissing Spell SCD 925, CD, 2001)
Folk
Alison O’ Donnell (lead vocals, bodhrán)
Alison O’ Donnell’s first album in more than 20 years sees her returning to folk music: in this case, delicate acoustic folk recorded with Belgian collaborators. The results are beautiful, delicate and elegant, but perhaps a little academic and lacking in fire and passion. It’s also notable that by far the best number is a remake of the Flibbertigibbet song ‘An Súisín Bán’. GRADE: C+.

See also Flibbertigibbet, Mellow Candle, Alison O' Donnell, Owl Service, Plastik Mak, United Bible Studies

Lena Ekman, Jan Hammarlund & Turid (Sweden): Igår, Idag, Imorgon (Silence SRS 4638, 1976)
Folk
Turid Lundqvist (joint lead vocals, guitar, percussion, zither), Lena Ekman (joint lead vocals, accordion, percussion)
This collaboration with two other Swedish folk luminaries offers an accomplished set of traditional folk, with none of the material being self-penned. Several cuts are acapella, whilst others have backing from hand percussion or acoustic instrumentation. GRADE: C+.
Lena Ekman (Sweden): Hjulspår (Silence SRS 4641, with booklet, 1977)
Folk/Singer/Songwriter
Lena Ekman (lead vocals, guitar, harpsichord, concertina)
Ekman’s first solo album is about half self-penned, and features sparse but varied acoustic and electric backing. Dark, eerie and haunting, it achieves an almost psychedelic edge on the best material, and remains interesting and surprising throughout. GRADE: C+.
Lena Ekman (Sweden): Det Beror På Ögomen Som Ser (Mistlur MLR-11, with insert, 1980)
Folk
Lena Ekman (lead vocals, percussion, concertina)
Although not dissimilar to its predecessor, this is somewhat slicker, with the backing varying from acapella numbers through to full electric arrangements. It’s a rather patchy record, though mostly good, with ‘Mors Långa Cykeltur’ (unusually arranged for electric bass, congas and concertina) being the best number. Fellow Swedish folk luminaries Turid Lundquist and Marie Selander guest here and there, whilst four of the nine songs are covers of material by Danish singer/songwriter Trille. GRADE: C+.
See also Jan Hammarlund, Tillsamans, Tjejclown, Turid, Various ‘Sånger Och Music Från Kvinnokulturfestivalen’

Ekos (Mexico): Luz Interna (No label, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2012)
Progressive/Metal
Ana Camelo (occasional vocals, keyboards)
With tracks of up to 21 minutes, this Mexican album unites progressive metal structures and instrumentation (including some excellent soloing) with Pink Floyd spaciness and atmosphere. The songs have that typically understated modern Latin American prog style, making for an accomplished and unassuming LP. GRADE: C+.

Ekos (Mexico): Otra Dimensión (Intolerencia INT|186, CD, with digipak, poster booklet and plastic slipcase, 2017)
Progressive/Metal
Ana Camelo (occasional vocals, keyboards)
Ekos’s second album is beautifully packaged, with an unusual die-cut digipak, giant poster/lyric sheet and a clear plastic outer. Musically, it follows in the same vein as their first, though this time with exclusively short tracks often woven together into suites. Whilst elegant, spaced-out and beautifully crafted, the songs and instrumentals here are again so understated that they barely register, though they’re wonderfully atmospheric and delightfully free of artifice and pretension. GRADE: C+.

Coon Elder Band Featuring Brenda Patterson (USA): The Coon Elder Band Featuring Brenda Patterson (Mercury SRM-1-1140, 1977)
Country/Rock
Brenda Patterson (joint lead vocals)
From the band name and sleeve, I expected this to be crappy country-and-western, but it’s actually pretty good country/rock. Indeed, at its best this isn’t far behind my very favourites in the genre, such as Jimmy Carter & Dallas County Green. GRADE: C+.
See also Alabama State Troopers, Brenda Patterson

Elecampane (UK): When God’s On The Water (Dame Jane ODJ1, 1975)
Folk/Rock
Daphne Grant (occasional vocals, recorder)
The sleevenotes describe the album as a song cycle set against ‘the backdrop of a river flowing to the sea’ and it offers varied and accomplished electric folk, taking in everything from morris-influenced tunes to bluesy rock and roll, borderline hard rock, a few rather psychedelic bursts of fuzz guitar and even some poetry. Accordion and recorders are widely used throughout the LP, creating a sound not dissimilar to a more rustic early Steeleye Span. GRADE: B–.
Elecampane (UK): The Further Adventures Of Mr Punch (Dame Jane ODJ2, with booklet, 1978)
Folk/Rock/Progressive
Daphne Grant (occasional vocals, percussion, recorder), Katrina Grant (occasional vocals, guitar, concertina, recorder)
Presumably the soundtrack to a stage show or multi-media enterprise, the band’s bizarre second album is a concept piece channelling electrified folk, again with a strong morris influence, through a Gilbert & Sullivan prism. Along the way, the disc takes in lovely semi-acoustic folk songs, weird electronic voices, sound effects and occasional acid guitars; the only comparison I can find is the Austrian band Schmetterlinge, who specialised in this kind of thing. GRADE: C+.

Electric Pink Moon Project (Italy/USA): The Electric Pink Moon Project (Revenge rev0009, CD, Italy, 2019)
Garage
Deborah Perry (lead vocals)
Ever wanted to hear Nick Drake’s Pink Moon reinterpreted in a stripped-down heavy garage rock style by an Italian-American combo of experimental musicians, including two core members of Thinking Plague? If so, here’s your chance. And if so, why? GRADE: C+.

See also Dave Kerman & 5uus, Thinking Plague, Dave Willey & Friends

Electric Wizard (UK/USA): We Live (Rise Above RISECD0075, CD, with digipak and booklet, UK, 2006)
Metal
Liz Buckingham (guitar)
They’re not about to win any awards for songwriting, and the tuneless singing is pretty average too, but this wins through on sheer heft and power, creating some amazingly intense sludgy doom vibes. GRADE: B–.
Electric Wizard (UK/USA): Witchcult Today (Rise Above RISECD100, black CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, UK, 2007)
Metal
Liz Buckingham (guitar, organ)
Slightly less sludgy and powerful than its predecessor, this again creates some strong grooves but is a little lacking in the songwriting department. Nonetheless, it’s a solid set, and the first run of CD and vinyl pressings were beautifully packaged. GRADE: C+.
Electric Wizard (UK/USA): Black Masses (Rise Above RISECD130, CD, with slipcase, UK, 2012)
Metal
Liz Buckingham (guitar, effects)
This is both grungier and punkier than its predecessor, and once again very fragmentary. Whilst it’s listenable enough, it ultimately confirms that Electric Wizard are really one-trick ponies, without the dynamics, poise or songwriting skills that mark out the best in the doom genre (such as Blood Ceremony or Windhand). GRADE: C+.

Electric Wizard (UK): Time To Die (Spinefarm SPINE788079, CD, 2014)
Metal
Liz Buckingham (guitar)
The long, sprawling songs here sound more like jams than structured compositions, and are impressively sludgy and uncompromising. However, as that description also suggests, they’re pretty formless, and there’s nothing in the way of memorable riffs or well-crafted tunes here. GRADE: C+.

Electric Wizard (UK): Wizard Bloody Wizard (Witchfinder W004, CD, EU, 2017)
Metal
Liz Buckingham (guitar)
‘Six hymns to death, drugs, sex and violence’ proclaims the hype sticker, rather unnecessarily announcing this as ‘heavy rock’ (what else could it be, given the album title, label name and cover?). The lyrical description isn’t wrong, but the endless boasts about drug-fuelled satanic torture orgies eventually wear a little thin; perhaps their sludgy, swampy brand of metal, enjoyable as it is, is crying out for some variety. Or maybe I simply can’t take such evil lyrics seriously when they’re intoned by someone called Justin. GRADE: C+.
See also Sourvein

Electrolite (UK): Come Home/Dance With Me/Take Me Now (Supertone STR04-V12, 12", 2014)

Pop
Suzi Starlight (lead vocals)
No prizes for guessing from the band name that this is electropop – I can hear echoes of all the usual eighties suspects here, including quite a bit of early Depêché Mode and Human League and maybe a touch of Eurythmics. It’s pleasant stuff, with just enough rock in the mix to prevent it from becoming too lightweight, and it’s a pity they never made a full album. GRADE: C+.

Electropathics (UK): (Batteries Not Included) (The Sticky Label GUM 001, 1987)
Folk/Rock
Jackie Rawlinson (violin, backing vocals)
The band name, album title and cover made me fear some kind of humorous novelty folk, but this is actually rather good electric folk/rock mixing original and traditional numbers, both songs and instrumentals. Featuring concertina, melodeon and horns, the LP displays strong morris and folk-dance influences, but the band are also capable of delicate acoustic and acapella numbers. In particular, their version of ‘Whitsun Dance’ is quite beautiful. GRADE: C+.
See also Token Woman

Elements (UK): Elementary (Look LKLP 6649, with insert, 1981)
Rock/New Wave/Progressive
Rosemary Robb (lead vocals), Christina Willett (drums, backing vocals)
With a genuinely unusual style, this obscure band offers prog-edged new wave and powerpop with space-rock edges, ranging from the very Hawkwind-like opener ‘Both Feet On The Ground’ to the gentle folk/rocker ‘If Looks Could Kill’. In some ways, their sound presages the mid-eighties psychedelic revival, whilst at various times they hint at everyone from Amon Düül II to the Doll and X-Ray Spex, fronted by a vocalist who resembles Mandy Morton. GRADE: C+.

Elements (UK): Beginnings 1980 To 1982 (Roach Daddy RDR 030/031, double CDR, with DVD case, 2006, recorded 1980-1982)
New Wave/Garage
Anne-Marie Hurst (joint lead vocals), Rosemary Robb (joint lead vocals), Jayne (joint lead vocals)
Compiling demos from 1980 to 1982 on the first disc and a nine-song rehearsal from 1981 on the second, this interesting compilation traces the band’s evolution through three vocalists (Jayne [no surname known] then Rosemary Robb, then Anne-Marie Hurst – and then they became Skeletal Family). The sleeve notes compare the music to Buzzcocks and X-Ray Spex, but the first disc starts out in a new wave direction with garage psych edges, mixes in a few mild Hawkwind and prog references, and unsurprisingly moves closer to Siouxsie & The Banshees and a dark gothic sound on the later, better recorded cuts. The latter sound is reflected on most of the second disc. GRADE: C+.

Elend (France/Austria): Leçons De Ténèbres (Holy 08 CD, CD, France, 1994)
Progressive/Metal
Eve Gabrielle Siskind (occasional vocals)
They list Monteverdi, Couperin, Bach, Händel, Dowland, Purcell, Vivaldi, Mozart, Dead Can Dance, My Dying Bride, At The Gates and Bathory as their influences, and that’s a sensible starting point; I’d add Jacula and Popol Vuh. This is odd through and through: quasi-classical singing and occasional death vocals and anguished screams deliver verses from ‘Paradise Lost’ against a backdrop of lush synthesisers with a quasi-classical mood. The whole thing is weird, minimalist and über-pretentious, and could just as easily be classified as progressive, neoclassical, gothic or ambient metal. GRADE: C+.
Elend (France/Austria): Les Ténèbres Du Dehors (Holy 17 CD, CD, France, with digipak and booklet, 1996)
Progressive/Classical/Metal
Eve Gabrielle Siskind (joint lead vocals), Nathalie Barbary (joint lead vocals)
The addition of a second female singer and real strings gives the band’s music the epic, wide-screen dimensions it always deserved, with stunning (and entirely appropriate) artwork completing the deal. This time round, their music reminds me of Therion (without any of the rock elements) or Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus, though they also reference the neoclassical stylings of Enya and the 4AD sound of bands like the Cocteau Twins. It’s all über-pretentious, and to cynical ears might sound somewhat silly, but this is undeniably beautiful, atmospheric music, though I don’t see what the intermittent screaming really adds. GRADE: B–.

Elend (France/Austria): Weeping Nights (Holy 26 CD, CD, France, with digipak and booklet, 1997)
Progressive/Classical/Metal
Nathalie Barbary (lead vocals)
They must have been listening to me – the screaming is gone, along with any remaining metal traces, resulting in a beautiful and tranquil neoclassical album hinting towards Enya. Only about half the LP is new: the remainder is remixes of material from Les Ténèbres Du Dehors with the screams (and presumably Eve Gabrielle Siskind’s vocals) removed. GRADE: B–.

Elend (France/Austria): The Umbersun (Music For Nations CDMFN 239, UK, 1998)
Progressive/Classical/Metal
Nathalie Barbary (joint lead vocals), Alison Eden (joint lead vocals)
This is the most metallic of their albums, despite a complete lack of rock instrumentation, and also the most varied – everything from haunting neoclassical minimalism to bombastic sections with death vocals and choirs, resembling a crazed Therion. At times it’s all a little too intense, but as with all their LPs there are some lovely moments. GRADE: C+.

Elend (France/Austria): Winds Devouring Men (Holy 82 CDX, with digipak and booklet, 2003)
Progressive/Classical/Metal
Nathalie Barbary (backing vocals), Esteri Rémond (backing vocals)
A huge step forward, Winds Devouring Men sees the group abandoning growls and screams in favour of melodic, mournful male vocals, with the female classical vocals restricted to backup. Musically, this is probably best compared to Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus without the folk edges: dark, slightly eerie symphonic music with occasional moments of industrial intensity. It’s impressive stuff, if as pretentious as ever, and its only failing is that the album is a touch long, emphasising their lack of variety. GRADE: B–.
Elend (France/Austria): Sunwar The Dead (Holy 95 CDX, with digipak and booklet, 2004)
Progressive/Classical/Industrial
Esteri Rémond (occasional vocals)
Even more epic than usual, Sunwar The Dead ranges from huge orchestrated and choral passages to more overtly industrial and ambient moments. Typically for Elend, it can all get a bit too much, but there is plenty of fine music here. GRADE: B–.

Elend (France/Austria): A World In Their Screams (Holy 114 CD, with digipak and booklet, 2007)
Progressive/Classical/Industrial/Avant-Garde
Esteri Rémond (occasional vocals)
The band’s final album is also their most remarkable: a unique melding of Ligeti-like choirs, epic orchestrations and industrial elements, with spoken French vocals contrasting with heavenly voices and tortured screams. In many ways, this could be seen as the dark yang to Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus’s elegiac yin, taking the band’s music far beyond any notion of rock towards pure avant-gardism and classical realms. GRADE: B.

Elephant Patch (USA): Elephant Patch (JTO 1025-79, 1979)
Rock
Ethel-Ann Powell (lead vocals, guitar)
This is a difficult album to describe or categorise: one could call it blues/rock or folk/rock (in the overall feel and the backing to several songs), country/rock (primilarly via Powell’s vocal style) or garage rock, but no label quite fits. Essentially, it’s guitar-led rock with a downbeat, loner style and powerful leads, with Powell’s quavery, on-the-edge singing adding a dramatic and rather desperate note. Occasionally the disc reminds me of Collective Tools, although it’s nowhere near as fractured or disturbing. The impassioned ‘Roll It Over’ in particular is superb, with quite an eerie feel, but this is a distinctive and interesting record throughout. GRADE: C+.

Eleri Janet Diane (UK): Eleri Janet Diane (Fanfare FR 2196, 1976?)
Folk/RockThese three attendees of Cardiff University privately issued a gentle album of Christian folk/rock some time in the mid-seventies. Their mournful solo and harmony vocals deliver a forlorn, hymnal mood, whilst the backing ranges from acapella settings through eerie, psychedelic settings with fuzz guitar and organ (‘Reflections’) to less successful uptempo folk/pop recalling fellow Welsh trio Diliau. GRADE: C+.

Elfonía (Mexico): Elfonía (No label, CD, with minisleeve, insert, photograph and box, 2003)
Progressive
Marcela Bovio (principal vocals, violin)
The most obvious comparison for Elfonía’s music would be the Gathering: Marcela Bovio sounds uncannily like Anneke van Giersbergen, whilst the backing – ranging from symphonic to folky to metal to near-ambient – is clearly modelled the lighter moments of their Dutch counterparts. This is a fine album throughout, catching fire in the final third, though most of it is too understated to be truly remarkable. In any case, the Eastern-tinged instrumental ‘Hatshepsut’ is superb, capturing an intensity largely missing elsewhere. GRADE: B–.
Elfonía (Mexico): This Sonic Landscape (The Note Garden TNG0001, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2005)
Progressive
Marcela Bovio (principal vocals, violin)
Album number two has the same elegant, understated style as their first, though the metal elements are more pronounced, there are a few jazzy edges and there are definite hints of modern progressive acts like Anekdoten. Once again, it’s stronger on atmosphere and mood than it is on memorable songs, and once again the disc improves as it goes on, with the finest moments towards the end. Most importantly, it’s once again a fine piece of work. GRADE: B–.
See also Ayreon, Gathering, Stream Of Passion, Beto Vázquez Infinity

Elim (France): On Croise Tous, Un Jour… (Jef 355.407, 1978)
Folk
Fatma Aberbache, Anita Aberbache, Chantal Lambin, Esther Ostre, Régine Pelissier, Murielle Pelissier, Marie-Madeleine Pira, Lydie Pira, Marie-Christine Van Hassel, Marie-François Van Hassel, Isabelle-Marie Van Hassel
This French Christian album sounds like a school project, with its delicate massed and solo vocals and simple acoustic guitar backing, though I suspect it was recorded by older teenagers or adults. In any case, it’s a good example of its style, with a haunting and sepulchral mood. GRADE: C+.

EliphasZ (Canada): Le Royaume Des Poussières (No label, CDR, with digipak and booklet, 2012)
Progressive
Jacinthe Poulin (joint lead vocals)
Very much a game of two halves, this combines a nineteen-minute instrumental (very Mike Oldfield-like and very good, ebbing and flowing superbly, though it slightly outstays its welcome) with five shorter pieces (four songs and an excellent closing instrumental). The songs are mostly folky, though ‘Mythomane’ is close to hard rock and ‘Origines’ hints at trip-hop; these also work pretty well. Ultimately, this succeeds where other albums by the same kind of line-up (male singer/composer/multi-instrumentalist plus a female vocalist) fail for two reasons: the material is strong, and they used a real rhythm section rather than relying on programming. As a bonus, this is superbly produced, really bringing the music to life. GRADE: B–.

Elis (Liechtenstein): God’s Silence, Devil’s Temptation (Napalm NPR 122, CD, with digipak and booklet, Austria, 2003)
Metal/Progressive
Sabine Dünser (principal vocals)
The band formerly known as Erben Der Schöpfung return under a new identity but with the same symphonic gothic metal sound. However, I don’t find this as compelling as their debut – it’s nice enough, with some good melodies and fine arrangements, but all sounds a little pro forma. GRADE: C+.

Elis (Liechtenstein): Dark Clouds In A Perfect Sky (Napalm NPR 151, CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2004)

Metal/Progressive

Sabine Dünser (principal vocals)

This is a touch better than God’s Silence, Devil’s Temptation – or at least, I think it is. With this kind of music, as much as I like it, the margins are generally pretty small; that said, this is a pretty good album if you like this sort of thing as much as I do. GRADE: C+.

Elleven (Germany): Insight (42 60019 41027, CD, 2007)
Rock/Progressive
Julia Graff (lead vocals, guitar)
Mixing mainstream guitar rock and symphonic progressive, this German band’s album is sometimes very effective (the haunting and beautiful ‘Ride’ and ‘Remember’) but often unadventurous and mediocre. GRADE: C.

Elleven (Germany): Transfiction (Progressive Promotion PPRCD034, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2015)
Progressive
Julia Graff (lead vocals, guitar)
I found Elleven’s first album distinctly underwhelming and their second, which contains longer and more progressive songs, strikes me as equally dull, though it’s hard to articulate why. Their blend of alternative rock and prog works effectively enough, they’re capable of composing competently and they create some dreamy, minor-key atmospheres, but like their debut the whole thing is so plodding, so uninvolving and so dreary that the effect is almost soporific. GRADE: C.

Cass Elliot (USA): Dream A Little Dream (Dunhill DS 50040, 1968)
Pop/Folk/MOR
Cass Elliot (lead vocals)
Mama Cass’s first solo album is varied indeed, from light rock to pop/folk, bluegrass and borderline showtunes, all stitched together with sound effects and trippy studio trickery – partly because she wanted to demonstrate her range away from her former band, and partly because she wasn’t a songwriter. Unsurprisingly, it’s not terribly consistent, but there’s some surprisingly good music here and she’s in fine voice throughout. The album was not a big seller, despite the title track reaching #12 in the American charts; its best cut by far, ‘California Earthquake’, also gave her a minor hit. GRADE: C+.
Cass Elliot (USA): Bubble Gum, Lemonade And… Something For Mama (Dunhill DS 50055, 1969)
Pop
Cass Elliot (lead vocals)
As the title suggests, the principal genre here is bubblegum pop, although a few other styles (including country and ragtime) are thrown into the mix. Overall this is closer to her former band than its predecessor, although less folky and not as classy as the Mamas & Papas at their best. The opening ‘It’s Getting Better’ is a sixties pop classic; the remainder isn’t enormously memorable, but this is certainly very tasty bubblegum. The album was reissued seven months later as Make Your Own Kind Of Music, with the single of the same name added.

GRADE: C+.
Dave Mason & Cass Elliot (UK/USA): Dave Mason And Cass Elliot (Blue Thumb BTS 8825, 1971)
Rock
Cass Elliot (occasional vocals)
This one-off collaboration is more Mason’s album than Cass’s: he writes the vast bulk of the material and takes the lion’s share of the lead vocals. Interestingly, it’s a very modern-sounding record – whereas the Mamas & The Papas’ oeuvre and the majority of Elliot’s solo recordings sounded dated within a couple of years of release, this could easily have been taped in the last decade. Musically it’s soft rock with a rural tinge and spacious acoustic and electric arrangements, and is of a high standard throughout. Two of the songs, ‘Here We Go Again’ and ‘Something To Make You Happy’, are among Elliot’s rare ventures into songwriting. GRADE: C+.
Cass Elliot (UK): Cass Elliot (RCA LSP 4619, 1972)
Pop/Rock/MOR
Cass Elliot (lead vocals)
The sleeve makes this appear to be a collection of jazz standards or suchlike. In fact it’s a gentle, classy collection of soft rock and ballads, with a more mature feel than her earlier work. It isn’t rocking and it isn’t original, but her singing is as stunning as always and the songs are perfectly chosen and arranged. GRADE: C+.
Cass Elliot (USA): The Road Is No Place For A Lady (RCA LSP 4753, 1972)
Pop/MOR
Cass Elliot (lead vocals)
This was recorded in London, using well-known session musicians, in an attempt to capture a different vibe, but whilst poppier and less heavily arranged it’s not very different from its predecessor. Anyone liking her style and voice (or simply high-quality early seventies soft rock) will thoroughly enjoy this; anyone expecting challenging music or a distinctive vision will be disappointed. GRADE: C+.
Cass Elliot (USA): Don’t Call Me Mama Anymore (RCA APL1-0303, 1973)
MOR
Cass Elliot (lead vocals)

Her pop career having stalled, Mama Cass goes cabaret; the results are more folly than Follies Bergère. GRADE: C–.
See also Big 3, Mamas & The Papas, Mugwumps

Derek & Dorothy Elliott & Nadine (UK): Yorkshire Relish (Tradition TSR 025, 1976)
Folk
Dorothy Elliott (joint lead vocals, guitar), Nadine Elliott (backing vocals)
Like a number of other releases on the aptly-named Tradition label, this is mostly acapella, with Derek Elliott’s nasal voice supported by the harmonies of wife Dorothy and daughter Nadine. Elsewhere Dorothy takes a few leads and contributes a little guitar, though there isn’t a great deal of variety across the 18 songs. Nonetheless it’s all very well done, though you’ll have to like your folk with its finger firmly in its ear to get much from this. GRADE: C+.

Elohim (France): À L’Aube Du Verseau (Philips 6325 207, 1975)
Pop/Psychedelic/Progressive
Gaëlle Usaï
This concept album about esotericism has a rather arch, theatrical feel that occasionally puts one in mind of a hippie musical. Cut by a husband-and-wife team plus uncredited backing musicians, the disc ranges from good-natured melodic pop to darker prog, with acid guitars, spacy flutes, sitars, tablas, complex time changes and all kinds of other influences. Although it resembles an exploitation album, there are some great melodies and this is thoroughly enjoyable, offering a constantly shifting array of styles. GRADE: B–.

Elora (France): Crash (Progressive Promotion PPRCD013, CD, with digipak, 2013)
Progressive/Metal
Anastasia Moussali (joint lead vocals)
Mixing symphonic progressive and metal, this album has a fairly simple song-based style and a few hints of French sensuality. It’s pleasant, mellifluous and well crafted, without differing significantly from countless other modern prog albums. On the plus side, the nine-minute title track closes the set with a nice Pink Floyd-like coda; it’s a pity they didn’t include more of this kind of stuff. GRADE: C+.

Elull Noomi (France): Uléella (Ex-Tension EX05, CD, 2007)
Jazz
Odile Fargère (joint lead vocals), Christelle Monchy (joint lead vocals)
Sooner or later somebody was bound to take the style of Magma circa Les Voix to its logical conclusion and release an album of acapella zeuhl. This is that album, operating at the gentlest end of the band’s repertoire, almost like Ad Vitam without backing instruments. The result is an interesting record, and an extremely creative one too, but there’s a limit to this style and over the course of a whole album this starts to become a little repetitious. GRADE: C+.

Elza (Japan): Half And Half (Trio 3A-2011, with booklet, poster and obi, 1975?)
Pop/Rock
This likable mainstream rock album covers quite a range of territory, from blues to borderline country/rock and from ballads to Suzi Quatro-style hard rock. It’s good and well done throughout, but the real standout is a rather psychedelic ballad in the middle of side one covered with heavy fuzz guitar. GRADE: C+.