New and Updated

Updated 5th April:

Big Big Train (UK): Ingenious Devices (English Electric Recordings EERCD0033, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2023)
Progressive
Rachel Hall (violin, backing vocals)
This unusual album bridges the David Longdon and Alberto Bravin eras of the band by including re-recordings of three epics from the Longdon era (apart from the vocals, for obvious and tragic reasons) with a live version of ‘Atlantic Cable’ fronted by Bravin and a newly composed short orchestral instrumental. Whilst I find the concept slightly odd, the music is uniformly pleasant and the lyrics remain literate and evocative, conveying the quintessentially English understatement that has always set Big Big Train apart. GRADE: B–.

Dando Shaft (UK): Dando Shaft (RCA Neon NE5, 1971)
Folk
Polly Bolton (joint lead vocals)
With a running time of fractionally over half an hour, this is small but for the most part perfectly formed. The intricate acoustic arrangements blend diverse strings (from guitars to mandocellos) with hand percussion and flute to create delicate yet propulsive tapestries of sound, given distinction by the band’s clear influences from Bulgarian folk music. The best songs – notably ‘Coming Home To Me’, ‘Pass It On’ and ‘Kalyope Driver’ – have memorable hooks that add a distinct pop sensibility and this often resembles a sunny yang to Comus’s dark and eerie yin: with a similar instrumental approach but in this case conveying joy, delight, a love of nature and anecdotes concerning vivid characters like ‘Whispering Ned’. GRADE: C+.
Dando Shaft (UK): Lantaloon (RCA Victor SF 8256, with poster, 1972)
Folk
Polly Bolton (lead vocals)
Their influence from Pentangle is perhaps a little more obvious here, though this is still very much in the same vein as its predecessor. But whereas Pentangle were ethereal and progressive, Dando Shaft are earthier and more informal, with a high degree of instrumental complexity but relatively conventional song structures. They’re pretty good songs too, even if I’m never going to love them as much as I love Pentangle. GRADE: C+.
Dando Shaft (UK): Kingdom (Rubber RUB 034, 1977)
Folk/Rock
Polly Bolton (backing vocals)
The addition of electric guitar, keyboards and saxophone significantly broadens the band’s sound, and whilst this reunion effort doesn’t have as many memorable songs as their earlier works it’s their most consistent overall. Although credited as a band affair, this was basically a duo effort by Dave Cooper and Martin Jenkins, with Polly Bolton merely contributing backing vocals to about half the cuts. GRADE: C+.

Fibulator (USA): Drankfromtheasphalt (Electro Motive CPA-013, with insert, 1993)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Sarah Arvey (joint lead vocals)
Whilst in the same funky post-punk/RIO style as their debut, this is considerably more eccentric and imaginative, making extensive use of the studio as an instrument. The level of invention subsides a bit on side two, part of which falls back into grooves rather than experiments, but this is still a solid step up from their first. GRADE: B–.
Fibulator (USA): Unhammerlike (Jim Wilbur mmer 1, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 1994)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Sarah Arvey
Their final album is possibly their wildest and is filled with fascinating and unpredictable jazzy funk grooves that are as much no-wave as new wave. It’s all very American and occasionally a little self-conscious in its oddness, but the lineage from artists like Amon Düül (not Amon Düül II) and Musica Elettronica Viva is obvious, despite the quite different musical palette. GRADE: B–.

Madder Mortem (Norway): Old Eyes, New Heart (Dark Essence KAR270CD, CD, 2024)
Metal
Agnete M Kirkevaag (lead vocals)
As usual for Madder Mortem, this is varied and atmospheric, with lots of rhythm changes, inventive guitar work and some incredible vocals from Agnete M Kirkevaag. At its best, it’s truly remarkable: ‘On Guard’ can only be described as a stunning study in melancholy. But for the most part – again as usual for Madder Mortem – it strikes me as good rather than outstanding, which might say as much about me as it does about their music. GRADE: C+.

Me & My Kites (Sweden): Sense Nonsense (Porcelain PORCELP007, green vinyl, 2024)
Folk/Rock/Psychedelic
Lisa Isaksson (occasional vocals, flute, harp), Billie Lindahl (occasional vocals), Karin Engvist (keyboards, backing vocals), Maria Arnqvist (saxophone), Oona Liberg (cello, backing vocals), Anna Myrsten (whistle, backing vocals)
This compilation of tracks from singles and EPs is a touch insubstantial, offering eight songs in 26½ minutes. However, musically it’s a delight, delivering their usual featherlight beatific psychedelic folk, all shot through with a dreamlike atmosphere. In addition to the download, 20 copies were manufactured as a lathe-cut green vinyl LP, each hand-numbered on the plain white inner sleeve. GRADE: B–.

Daniel McGlynn Fantasy Band (USA): Encounter (Sheperd SP 42081, 1981)
Rock
Corrine Preno (joint lead vocals), Maura Hennigan (backing vocals)
I expected this to be hard rock, but it’s much more varied than that: some moderately heavy AOR, some soul-tinged ballads and even a lengthy piano solo that adds a slight progressive edge. It’s mostly solid enough but not exactly thrilling, though a commentator on Discogs disagreed, describing it as ‘full of original great late 70’s [sic] USA rock group vibe [sic]’ with ‘wicked guitar playing’ and insisting it’s ‘a cool private press with all the moves’ and ‘a steal really’, adding the disclaimer that he has ‘no vested interest’. GRADE: C.

Updated 28th March:

Marie Little (UK): Hot Flushes To Free Buses (Greenage HGNCD002, CD, 2010)
Folk
Marie Little (lead vocals, guitar)
For her final album, Little returns to contemporary folk, offering pleasant acoustic versions of material by a wide range of writers. She’s in excellent voice throughout, making this a worthwhile end to her comparatively short recording career. GRADE: C+.

Miranda Sex Garden (UK): Suspiria (Mute CD STUMM 112, CD, 1993)
Folk/Rock/Psychedelic
Katharine Blake (joint lead vocals, percussion, violin), Kelly McCusker (joint lead vocals, keyboards, violin), Donna McKevitt (joint lead vocals, viola)
This is neither as concise, nor quite as startling, as Iris, but it’s still packed with surprises. Once again the band blend classical folk, progressive and industrial edges in fascinating ways and end the album in the most unexpected way possible, with two very different instrumentals followed by a laid-back reading of ‘My Funny Valentine’. GRADE: B–.

Poor Genetic Material (Germany/UK): Possibilities (No label PGM CD 12, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2024)
Progressive
Pia Darmstaedter (flute)
On first listen this is ominously subdued, even by Poor Genetic Material’s usual standards, but a certain rhythmic complexity adds some welcome restlessness. That’s not to say that this is packed with an excitement – not a word one would immediately associate with this band – but only the whimsical ‘Old Buffoon’ misfires and even that is moderately charming. GRADE: C+.

Resonaxis (Australia): Resonaxis (Zenith Wa ZWR004, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2004)
Progressive
Brooke Shelley (lead vocals, keyboards)
This album crosses progressive rock and some metal elements with classical and mediaeval music, with the line-up including a soprano vocalist and pipe organ expert. However, the results are far from what that description might suggest – the music here is mellow, stately and melodic, with a series of atmospheric mid-paced songs and little in the way of ostentation or soloing. A reference point might be the Italian band Conqueror or to much a lesser extent Curved Air, and the results are consistently impressive and satisfying. GRADE: B–.
Resonaxis (Australia): Hymnarium (Indidem IND 003, CD, 2012)
Progressive
Brooke Shelley (lead vocals)
With 10 songs in 42 minutes, the track times are even shorter here – but for once that doesn’t mean the band has moved towards mainstream rock. Instead this remains firmly in the progressive camp: once again stately and mid-paced, with lots of references to sacred music as the title implies, and (like their debut) extremely effective. GRADE: B–.

Witness Gospel Band (UK): Together (Nicro K 091078, 1978)
Folk/Country
Janet Nicholls (occasional vocals, flute), Maggie Pearson (occasional vocals, percussion), Stephanie Nicholls (occasional vocals, percussion)
A country-flavoured cut followed by a gospellish number get this rare and expensive LP off to a bad start. Things improve with a couple of pleasant folk numbers, but there’s still too much uptempo whimsical material and too strong a country influence for this to be an enjoyable LP, making its substantial price surprising. Perhaps the kindest thing one can say about this is that it occasionally resembles the bluesier side of early Fairport Convention, as on ‘No Man’s Land’ – but then again that’s not the side of Fairport that I love. GRADE: C–.

Updated 21st March:

Sophya Baccini (Italy): Animatesi (Afrakà CDAF-22, CD, 2023)
Singer/Songwriter
Sophya Baccini (lead vocals, piano)
Whilst there’s a limit to how exciting an album of solo voice and piano can be, Animatesi – like Baccini’s previous solo outings – reminds me that she has a lovely voice and considerable talent as a songwriter. It also makes me question why somebody with that level of talent would continue to work with Presence, none of whose albums I liked and whose last venture I could barely finish. GRADE: C+.

Big Big Train (UK): Summer Shall Not Fade (English Electric Recordings EERBR004, Blu-ray plus 2CD, with book sleeve, 2022, recorded 2018)
Progressive
Rachel Hall (violin, backing vocals)
At its best, Big Big Train’s material is positively anthemtic. Much of the time, it’s merely mellow, well-crafted and unpretentious, with unusually literate lyrics – but those criteria alone elevate them above many modern prog bands. Throw in meticulous arrangements and the late David Longdon’s engaging stage demeanour and this live set is a solid B– and an effective tribute to him. GRADE: B–.

C Sides Project (UK): Foxes On The Road (White Knight, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, 2023)
Progressive
Siân Elson (joint lead vocals)
With a band like this, you know what you’re going to get: nice mid-paced neoprog that’s neither particularly ambitious nor overly simplistic. By the same token, one could argue that their material is neither particularly varied nor overly catchy, but with a band like this that’s probably missing the point. GRADE: C+.

Conqueror (Italy): 20 Years Of Games (Ma.Ra.Cash MRC112CD, CD, 2023)
Progressive
Simona Rigano (lead vocals, keyboards), Sofia Ferraro (saxophone, flute, electronic wind instrument)
Conqueror’s first covers album takes in material by everyone from Pink Floyd to Marillion, Goblin to Procol Harum and Santana to the Moody Blues. Covers albums aren’t always the greatest idea, but most of the songs here are reasonably obscure and the performances are uniformly excellent, with the band offering lush, stately prog that’s never ostentatious or pretentious or conversely dull or boring. GRADE: B–.

Fibulator (USA): Even From Here You Look Big (Electro Motive, with insert, 1992)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Sarah Arvey (joint lead vocals)
The presence of Dan Rathbun (later of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum) as co-producer makes clear that this is going to be pretty experimental. But whilst this is both jazzy and exploratory, it’s not the RIO excursion I was expecting: instead the musical base is funky, with plenty of post-punk references and slight hints of Where’s The Pleasure?-era Poisongirls. This doesn’t have as many good sings or riffs as Where’s The Pleasure?, though, so it’s ultimately mildly diverting rather than truly memorable. GRADE: C+.

Updated 14th March:

George (UK): The Magic Lantern (Pickled Egg EGG 47, CD, 2003)
Folk/Rock
Suzy Mangion
This multi-instrumental duo (with Suzy Mangion writing all the songs) offer featherlight folk/rock with low-budget, slightly symphonic arrangements, some indie and faint progressive edges, and hesitant and girlish vocals. The results are perhaps a little twee but rather lovely for all that. GRADE: C+.
George (UK): A Week Of Kindness (Pickled Egg/Lejos Disco EGG56/LEJ004, CD, with digipak, 2005)
Folk/Rock/Progressive
Suzy Mangion (principal vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums, percussion, drum programmes, banjo, recorder, whistle)
Their second album is dreamier, proggier and trippier, with the indie influence less obvious and the breathy vocals less arch. In fact, it’s a lovely little album, though still a touch too diffident for me to award it a B–. GRADE: C+.

Miranda Sex Garden (UK): Iris (Mute CD STUMM917, CD, 1992)
Folk/Rock/Psychedelic
Katharine Blake (joint lead vocals, percussion, violin), Kelly McCusker (joint lead vocals, organ, violin), Donna McKevitt (joint lead vocals, viola)
To describe this 29-minute mini-album as a quantum leap forward would be an understatement. Adding electric backing, the group blend rock, industrial, folk and classical styles to achieve a lush, dramatic, richly textured and sometimes unsettling sound that delivers constant surprises. The results are remarkable, to say the least. GRADE: B.

Updated 7th March:

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

Rïcïnn (France): Lïan (Blood Music Blood-172, CD, with digipak, Finland, 2016)
Progressive/Metal
Laure Le Prunenec (lead vocals)
There are frequent metal elements here, recalling Le Prunenec’s main band Öxxö Xööx, but for the most part this is gothic-tinged neoclassical music – dramatic, haunting and beautiful. An album like this could have been unfocused, overly precious or excessively pretentious, but everything hangs together very effectively, creating a sumptuous tapestry of sounds. GRADE: B–.
Rïcïnn (France): Nereïd (Blood Music BLOOD245, CD, with digipak, Finland, 2020)
Progressive/Metal
Laure Le Prunenec
The metal elements are a touch more subdued this time around, but otherwise this is very much in the same vein as its predecessor. Once again, this is very elegant, dramatic music, with plenty of progressive twists and turns to hold the attention and more than a few surprises. GRADE: B–.

See also Öxxö Xööx

Updated 29th February:

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–.

Fliengenpilz (West Germany): Live Ausser Konkurenz (Fliegenpilz Räkorts FL 00.1, with poster, 1981)
Garage/Psychedelic
Angelika Koch (joint lead vocals, percussion)
This rather good Krautrock album was recroded live, as ist title suggests, and consists of five long tracks of jamming guitar rock. Subtlety and virtuosity aren’t high on the agenda here, but for raw high octane rock this is satisfying from start to finish. The band went on to cut a further two albums with an all-male line-up. GRADE: C+.

Lucifer (Sweden): V (Nuclear Blast NBR 70172, CD, with poster booklet, 2024)
Metal
Johanna Sadonis (lead vocals)
The opening double whammy of the riff-driven ‘Fallen Angel’ and the richly melodic ‘At The Mortuary’ convinced me that this was going to be Lucifer’s first B– album. However, the lack of variety in the remaining songs pulls it back down to C+, though it’s certainly their most confident album to date and comes very close to the cusp. GRADE: C+.

Praÿ (France): Praÿ (No label, CD, 2019)
Metal
Maud Gibbons (guitar)
Lively instrumental doom metal across four tracks averaging 12 minutes apiece, delivered purely with electric guitars, bass and drums. Maud Gibbons demonstrates considerable flair for both lead and rhythm work and the album as a whole is powerful, propulsive –22 and impressive. GRADE: B–.

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (USA): Of The Last Human Being (Avant Night AVNT-001, CD, 2024)
Progressive/Metal/Avant-Garde
Carla Kihlstedt (joint lead vocals, guitar, organ, trumpet, violin, viola)
It’s now 17 years since SGM released an album: nearly two decades in which countless bands influenced by their incredible, eclectic take on avant-garde progressive metal have taken their blueprint and run with it in every conceivable direction. Does this mean that the impact of their music has been blunted? Far from it: they’re so virtuosic, so inspired by anything and everything (jazz, folk, funk, modern classical, you name it) and so shamelessly literate both lyrically and musically that there’s still hardly anybody who can touch them. To put it another way: they’re not longer the only ones who do what they do but they’re still the best at it. Or to put it even more simply: Of The Last Human Being is a landmark album and a tour de force. GRADE: B.

SubArachnoid Space (USA): The Red Veil (Strange Attractors Audio House SAAH025, CD, 2004)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar)
Whether something as freeform as this would repay repeated listens is debatable, but it’s unarguable that SubArachnoid Space are very good at what they do and probably not controversial to say that this is one of their better outings. As such, this is a solid B– but the question remains whether they could ever take the next step up to a full B. I strongly doubt it but remain willing to be proved wrong. GRADE: B–.
SubArachnoid Space (USA): Eight Bells (Crucial Blast 81, CD, with digipak, 2010)
Psychedelic/Metal
Melynda Jackson (guitar), Lauren K Newman (drums)
SubArachnoid Space’s final album is also their heaviest, crossing over into metal at times. It’s also one of their more ponderous efforts, making it a solid rather than spectacular end to their career. The group subsequently mutated into Eight Bells, taking a more metal-influenced direction. GRADE: C+.
See also Eight Bells

Tristwch Y Fenywod (UK): Yn Fyw Wn Wharf Chambers 12Fed Gorffenaf 2022 (No label, download, 2022)
Folk/Psychedelic
Gwretsien Ferch Lisbeth (lead vocals, harp), Sidni Sarffwraig (bass, backing vocals), Leila Lygad (drums)
This live EP (six songs totalling just over 25 minutes) by a trio of Welsh women living in Leeds offers an interesting folk/industrial/electronic crossover, with ethereal vocals and harp backed by bass and electronic drums. This style of folk is never going be a favourite of mine, but this is still intriguing stuff and could be considered a more electronic sidestep from something like Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus. GRADE: C+.

Updated 22nd February:

Camizole (France): Camizole + Lard Free (Souffle Continu FFL030, with obi, 2018, recorded 1978)
Jazz/Avant-Garde
Françoise Crublé (guitar, saxophone)
This collaboration between French experimentalists Camizole and Lard Free totals just 21½ minutes, but is nonetheless historically interesting. Mixing free-jazz and electronics, the jam wanders across the musical landscape and always remains interesting (though there’s still a limit as to how excited I can get by this kind of stuff). GRADE: C+.

Fates (UK): Furia (Taboo HAG 1, 1986)
Folk/Rock
Una Baines (joint lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion, pipe, whistle), Lynne Howe (joint lead vocals, percussion), Jean Rickard (joint lead vocals, percussion, flute), JulieWolstenhowe (joint lead vocals, percussion), Janet Wolstenhowe (joint lead vocals, guitar, percussion), Di Williams (joint lead vocals, percussion, violin, pipe, whistle), Charlotte Bill (occasional vocals, percussion, flute, panpipes, fife), Paulette Story (occasional vocals, drums, percussion)
This project by Una Baines, formerly keyboardist for the Fall, bears little resemblance to that group’s unpredictable brand of post-punk. Instead this mixes eerie quasi-tribal folk with lo-fi pop songs (hinting at Baines’s stint backing eighties Nico) and proggy keyboard pieces, becoming steadily weirder as it progresses. The results sound intriguing and unpredictable today and must have seemed astonishing in 1986, when such music had long been out of fashion. GRADE: B–.

Green Grass (Denmark): Green Grass I Ålborg (Spectator SL 1029, 1971)
Folk
Yvonne Versteeg (guitar, backing vocals)
Quintessential hippie counterculture lo-fi folk, with backing from acoustic guitars, bass, hand percussion and violin, all as ragged and untutored as you’d expect. As such, this is a charming enough artefact but anyone expecting any kind of crystalline acid-folk is likely to be sorely disappointed. GRADE: C+.
Green Grass (Denmark): Vandreudstilling Hara Ghash (Spectator SL 1045, 1971)
Folk/Rock
Yvonne Versteeg (guitar, backing vocals)
This is recognisably the work of the same band, but it’s better all round – less ragged performances and far superior recording, whilst the addition of drums makes the music more driven and dynamic. But once again, whilst this is a rather delightful document in its own way it’s not quite the kind of acid-folk that acid-folk fans tend to love. GRADE: C+.

Steeleye Span (UK): Live At The Bottom Line 1974 (Omnivore Recordings OV-531, CD, USA, 2024, recorded 1974)
Folk/Rock
Maddy Prior (joint lead vocals)
This live album has pretty good sound quality and an interesting track listing, featuring numerous pieces the band never recorded. However, the acid test is whether I’d prefer to listen to this over one of the band’s early seventies studio albums – and the answer is no. GRADE: B–.

SubArachnoid Space & Bardo Pond (USA): Tigris/Euphrates (Camera Obscura CAM054LP, with insert, Australia, 2002)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar, percussion)
This split album features a side-long jam apiece from SubArachnoid Space and Bardo Pond: both are spacious and ponderous in the extreme. The Bardo Pond is livelier, though I use that term in a relative way, whilst the SubArachnoid Space only occasionally catches fire. GRADE: C+.
SubArachnoid Space (USA): Play Nice (No label, CDR, 2002)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar)
They do indeed play nicely on their rarest release – this CDR, limited to 100 copies and sold on tour, contains a series of short but very dynamic and effective jams. It’s all superbly recorded, which I didn’t expect, so I’d definitely take this over the majority of their more widely released albums. GRADE: B–.
SubArachnoid Space (USA): Also Rising (Strange Attractors Audio House SAAH013, CD, 2003)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar, organ)
SubArachnoid Space’s catalogue isn’t the easiest to review: they’re not the most varied of bands, though this is among their more varied albums. As such, anybody who likes stripped-down, spacy instrumental jams (and nothing but stripped-down spacy instrumental jams) is going to like this a lot; and anybody who doesn’t probably won’t see the point. GRADE: B–.

Updated 15th February:

Gamehuche (Japan): Gentle Mosaic Head (No label, with inserts, 1991)
Psychedelic
Mariko Rima
Freeform nineties psychedelia as only the Japanese know how – this is very much of a piece with outfitts like Kousokuya or maybe Shizuke without the slight folky edges. As such this demonstrates a welcome willingness to take risks, but it’s also pretty tuneless and plodding so I can’t imagine anyone wanting to play it regularly. GRADE: C+.

SubArachnoid Space (USA): A New And Exact Map (September Gurls SGCD25, CD, 2000)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar, synthesiser, percussion)
SubArachnoid Space’s series of instrumental space-rock albums vary somewhat in terms of quality, though with a band like this I suspect my own mood has something to do with it. This seems to be one of their better efforts but perhaps not one of their best; certainly a high C+ and maybe just about a B– on a good day. A very good day indeed. GRADE: C+.
SubArachnoid Space (USA): These Things Take Time (Release RR 6473-2, CD, 2000)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar)
This is at the more free-from end of the band’s repertoire, as the lack of track titles (just ‘A’ to ‘G’) suggests. As such, it’s the archetype of a particular kind of psychedelic album: a nice trip without any semblance of a destination. GRADE: C+.

Tzefa (Russian Federation): Feed Me (No label 1640, CD, USA, 2002)
Metal
Slava Popova (joint lead vocals, violin)
This 20-minute EP offers nimble prog-edged metal with plenty of knotty riffing and a stripped-down sound featuring just vocals, guitars, bass and drums plus occasional violin. That said, there’s nothing particularly startling on offer, but I would have welcomed another 20 minutes. GRADE: C+.

Uncreated Light (Ukraine): Whom Should I Blame? (Mals MALS 322, CD, with minisleeve, inner, booklet and obi, 2009)
Metal
Helen Musienko (lead vocals)
This is archetypal gothic metal with soprano vocals, giving no obvious hints of its Ukrainian origins. As symphonic quasi-classical metal goes, it’s decent enough, but they’re not exactly Therion. GRADE: C+.

Updated 8th February:

Green Egg (UK): The Silver Moons Of Togo (No label, cassette, 1992)
Psychedelic
Miss Hyperspace (joint lead vocals, bass)
These Hawkwind-style space-rock jams are raw, aggressive and rather variable in the sound quality department. They’re also powerful, dynamic and passionate, making this a superb example of the early nineties psychedelic cassette culture. The band also issued another tape The Return To Elektrik Heaven, which I have not heard but which is pretty high on my wants list. GRADE: B–.

Hapshash & The Coloured Coat (UK): Featuring The Host And The Heavy Metal Kids (Minit MLS 40001, red vinyl, 1967)
Psychedelic/Avant-Garde
What’s truly astonishing about this album by two designers-turned-musicians and their pals (including an uncredited female singer who provides occasional wordless vocals and orgastic moans) is that it provides the blueprint for two seminal Krautrock bands. For the most part, it sounds like Amon Düül with its mantric percussion, wild abandon and lengthy, unstructured jams, whilst on ‘Aoum’ it presages the spooky, spiritual sound of Popol Vuh. What’s even more astonishing is that something like this was released as early as 1967. GRADE: B.

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–.

Silent Stream Of Godless Elegy (Czech Republic): Jiná (Osaměli OSR 001 CD, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2024)
Folk/Rock
Hana Nogolová (principal vocals), Klára Šindelková (violin)
Billed as ‘the first acoustic album of Moravian folkish doomsters’, this lives up to its billing by eschewing the band’s usual heavy riffing. However, even if you’d never encountered SSOGE before, you’d know they had a metal background – the drumming is pretty assertive, the mood is gothic and haunting, and the ethnic elements (beloved of folk/metal outfits across Europe) are as prominent as Klára Šindelkova’s elegant violin work. As usual for this remarkable band, the results are frequently stunning. GRADE: B–.

Helen West (Finland): Helen West (Femme Fatale FEMME 2, 1985)
Pop/Rock
The proggy intro isn’t a foretaste of what’s to come: this is mainstream eighties pop/rock that’s mostly self-penned, mostly quite good and entirely pretty dated. As such, this is a mildly likeable effort but it’s not that difficult to see why Ms West (real name Heli Nevakare) didn’t record again. GRADE: C+.

Updated 1st February:

Banish Misfortune (USA): Through The Hourglass (Kicking Mule KM 319, with insert, 1985)
Folk/Progressive
Lauren Pelon (principal vocals, guitar, lute, bagpipes, crumhorn, gemshorn, psaltery, doucaine, recorder)
Expanding to a four-piece with the addition of a vocalist and keyboardist/flautist, Banish Misfortune sign off with an album that’s considerably more ambitious and progressive. With mostly original material and stronger emphasis on the early music influences underpinning their sound, this offers rich, lush, dainty and mildly jazzy music that’s carefully composed and sumptuously arranged, resulting in one of the better folk LPs of the 1980s. GRADE: B–.

Mary Miller & Saratoga Freeway (UK): On The Road (Look LK/LP6556, 1980)
Country/Rock
Mary Miller (principal vocals)
With covers of familiar material like ‘Divorce’, ‘Stand By Your Man’, ‘Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad’ and ‘Blanket On The Ground’, this is old-fashioned country music, complete with steel guitar. However, the arrangements are nicely stripped-down, with no schmaltz or strings, and just enough pop and rock touches to make this one of the better British private pressings from its genre. GRADE: C+.

SubArachnoid Space (USA): Endless Renovation (Release RR 6402-2, CD, with obi, 1998)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar, tapes)
The addition of keyboards, violin, cello and dulcimer deepens the band’s sound considerably, resulting in a much more interesting and atmospheric album than their rather turgid last outing. In fact, this is lovely stuff throughout, and the fact that it is often diffuse and rambling only adds to its languid appeal. GRADE: B–.
SubArachnoid Space & Walking Timebombs (USA): The Sleeping Sickness (E+J Recordings 004, CD, some with etched jewel case, 1999)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar), Michelle Schreiber (drums)
In case you’re wondering who Walking Timebombs are, they – or more accurately, he – is guitarist Scott Ayers. In case you’re wondering what he does for SubArachnoid Space’s sound, he makes it harder, more assertive and trippier. Thus, whilst this has none of the instrumental embellishments or welcome variety of Endless Renovation, it’s pretty impressive in its own way. GRADE: B–.

Tutania (Italy): Tutania (Studio M SRM 151, red vinyl, 1992)
New Wave
Freddy McLine (principal vocals)
Mixing rockers and ballads, this new wave-edged rock album is pleasant enough, with slight symphonic edges and a distinctly Italian feel. The following year, Freddy McLine issued an album on the same private label with Oxyde, one of the oddest electric folk bands you’re ever likely to hear. GRADE: C+.
See also Oxyde

Wyrmturf (UK): The Slaying Of St George (No label, cassette, 1994)
Garage/Psychedelic
Sarah (joint lead vocals, percussion), Kate Berry (percussion)
Quintessential counterculture stuff, from lively garage rockers with psychedelic edges through to borderline dub reggae, all with the expected dash of social commentary. As a document of a particular time and state of mind, this drips atmosphere; purely as a musical experience, it’s thoroughly enjoyable. Band members Kate Berry and Steve Patterson with simultaneously the duo behind the radically different Tristis. GRADE: C+.
See also Tristis

Updated 25th January:

Banish Misfortune (USA): A Health To The Company (Shoestring, 1981)
Folk
Lauren Pelon (principal vocals, guitar, concertina, lute, bagpipes, crumhorn, gemshorn, recorder, whistle)
Whilst this follows the same format as their debut, it’s a step up in every regard, frequently recalling the first Gallery album in its fragility and beauty. In fact, this is as about as good as traditional folk ever gets – and it’s amazing that an obscure American band could produce anything that sounds so authentically British. GRADE: B–.

Crossbones (Zambia): Wise Man (Zambezi ZTZ 3, 1976)
Garage
Violet Babs Kafula (occasional vocals)
This charming garage-rock album effectively combines African and American musical traditions, with plenty of stinging fuzz guitar. Much of its distinction comes from its exotic location and its use of a female vocalist (unusual for a seventies Afro-rock band), but it passes the acid test: this would still be a charming and worthwhile garage-rock album, whomever had made it. GRADE: C+.

Dizzy (UK): Dizzy (Ellie Jau EJSP 9617, 1981)
Lounge
Annie Adams (joint lead vocals, bass), Polly Martin (joint lead vocals, drums)
This collection of lounge covers (everything from ‘I Will Survive’ to ‘Chanson d’Amour’, ‘River Deep, Mountain High’ and ‘Stranger On The Shore’) is given distinction by being recorded in the studio rather than live. The band clearly had a decent recording budget and are excellent singers and musicians, so this is a highly proficient set and is far above average for the genre. GRADE: C+.

Eternal Savings & Trust Company (USA): Wind And Spirit (Amphion Modern SP7115, 1972)
Folk/Rock
Sue Crosby (joint lead vocals, guitar), Kathy Hesson (joint lead vocals, tambourine, flute)
As an album of Christian folk/rock with semi-electric arrangements and lots of hand percussion (but no drums), this doesn’t contain anything you won’t have heard anywhere. However, it has a rough-hewn charm, never gets too polished or preachy for its own good, and benefits from a solid set of original songs with period atmosphere aplenty. In particular, the flute-led ‘Ocean’ is a haunting delight. GRADE: C+.

Ramrod (Italy): First Fall (Ramrodband 001, CD, 2016)
Rock/Metal
Martina Picaro
This is new-breed olde-school retro-rock, of the type favoured by Blues Pills, Children Of The Sün, White Coven and many others. As such, it is original? Not at all. Is it an essential purchase? Probably not. Is it very good indeed and well worth picking up if you like the aforementioned bands? For sure. GRADE: B–.
Ramrod (Italy): Jet Black (Black Widow BWRCD 228-2, CD, with digipak and booklet, 2019)
Rock/Metal
Martina Picaro (lead vocals)
Album number two is perhaps a touch less consistent than their first, though there’s not much in it. But when it’s on top form – notably the eight-minute closer ‘Leda’, which offers stunning psychedelic folk that builds to a powerful climax – this is superb. GRADE: B–.

Reasoning (UK): Live And Untrousered In Bilston 2008 (Comet Music, DVDR, with minisleeve and insert, 2009)
Rock/Progressive
Rachel Jones (principal vocals, percussion, harmonica)
This somewhat low-budget DVD (in terms of both the filming and packaging) is likeable enough, showcasing a solid performance that sometimes even becomes energetic. However, their actual material never threatens to become even moderately memorable. GRADE: C+.

SubArachnoid Space (USA): Ether Or (Unit Circle Rekkids tUC041, CD, 1997)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar), Michelle Schreiber (drums, percussion)
The opening ‘Circular Motion’ is so ponderous and listless that it makes you think SubArachnoid Space have completely lost their mojo, but thankfully the album improves thereafter. That said, it’s all pretty ponderous – a perfectly pleasant way to kill nearly an hour, but none of it even threatens to go anywhere. GRADE: C+.

Updated 18th January:

Banish Misfortune (USA): Freest Fancy (Shoestring, 1980)
Folk
Lauren Pelon (joint lead vocals, guitar, concertina, bagpipes, recorder, crumhorn, gemshorn, whistle)
Beautiful, elegant and intricately arranged for diverse acoustic instruments, this British-style traditional folk album is a clear winner. The only thing I could ask for is occasional electricity, which would have added the jolt of energy to take it to the next level. GRADE: C+.

Rosalie Cunningham (UK): Two Piece Puzzle (Esoteric Antenna EANTCD 1092, with digipak and booklet, 2022)
Rock/Progressive
Rosalie Cunningham (principal vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion)
I haven’t always been convinced that Ms Cunningham is the cultural phenomenon that some critics claim, but there’s no doubting that when she’s good she’s good – and for the most part she’s very good here. The album’s mix of hard rockers and ethnic folk interludes work well, there are plenty of progressive diversions, and even the occasional nods towards carousel-style music – seemingly a hallmark of Cunningham’s writing – work well in context, adding up to an impressive set. GRADE: B–.

District 97 (USA): Touroween+ (No label D97-DVD-003, DVDR, 2023)
Progressive/Metal
Leslie Hunt (principal vocals)
I’ve never met a District 97 DVD I disliked, since Leslie Hunt is a compelling frontwoman and their riff-driven heavy prog can be quite invigorating, so this is easily a C+. But I’ve only met three or four District 97 songs that really stuck in my mind, and I’m coming to realise that that’s because many of them sound much the same, so they’re unlikely to achieve a B– any time soon. GRADE: C+.

Ebb (UK): The Management Of Consequences (Boudicca, CD, with A5 book, 2024)
Progressive
This 18-minute, three-track EP builds on the promise shown by the band’s second album, offering some excellent space-rock with a high level of eccentricity and invention. Once again, the lovely packaging (an A5 softcover book narrating the story behind the concept) is the icing on the cake. GRADE: B–.

Lunar Dunes (UK): Galaxsea (4Zero FZ009, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, 2011)
Psychedelic
Krupa Pattni (lead vocals, kaoss pad), Julia Thornton (harp)
This collection of Eastern-tinged space-rock jams, some with wordless vocals, is pleasant, mellow and engaging but never particularly fiery or compelling. In fact, this is a definite step down from the band’s 2007 debut From Above, a solid B– but ineligible for review here as it was recorded by an all-male line-up with Krupas Pattni guesting on only one track. GRADE: C+.

Raven (UK): Traitors’ Gate (Bright Carvings BCLP005, with inner and insert, 2024, recorded 1974)
Rock/Metal/Folk
Diane Hudson (occasional vocals), Vanessa (occasional vocals)
Offering an unusual mixture of hard rock and folk, this unreleased album from 1974 has a period atmosphere so thick you could spread it on toast. Whether it has the killer songs to match its winsome sound is a slightly different question, but it’s charming throughout, with its most unexpected moment being the sole female-fronted cut ‘Song For Little Girls’, on which they unexpectedly resemble Sidan. GRADE: C+.

Marianne Segal (UK): So So Scorpio (No label, cassette, 1988)
Singer/Songwriter
Marianne Segal (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, drum programmes, harmonica)
‘My guitar loves to play’ Segal sings during ‘Cherry Corner House’, but she mostly plays synthesisers here instead, creating a sound closer to home-made electro-pop than folk. If you like eighties synth-pop, you could enjoy this; if you enjoy Ms Segal’s work with Jade, then you probably won’t. GRADE: C.
Marianne Segal (UK): November (Rawa, cassette, 1990)
Singer/Songwriter
Marianne Segal (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, drum programmes)
This is a huge improvement over So So Scorpio, with the synth-pop elements gone, replaced by a delicate semi-acoustic sound that dovetails far better with Segal’s delicate material. Perhaps the most unusual diversion is the bluesy hard rock of ‘Any Good News’, whilst the set ends with a remake of Jade’s ‘Fly Me To The North’. Overall, this is a charming little set and – unlike its predecessor – a worthwhile addition to her sporadic discography. GRADE: C+.

SubArachnoid Space (USA): Almost Invisible (Release RR 6959-2, CD, 1997)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar), Michelle Schreiber (drums, percussion)
This feels considerably more dynamic their than debut, though with a style this minimalist and consistent differences tend to be rather slight. Nonetheless the difference feels significant enough to rate this a B– rather than a C+. GRADE: B–.

Updated 11th January:

Devil Triangle (Italy): Darkotic (New Metal Master NMM 001, CD, 2005)
Metal/Progressive
Zelinda Manson
This offshoot of Antonius Rex offer a grab-bag of metal styles on ten short tracks, the better of which sound like modern Antonius Rex. The effect is a bit fragmentary, making this a marginal case for a B–, but the dynamic riffing and assertive drums are pretty persuasive. Zelinda Manson’s role is unclear – there are no detailed credits and the vocals are all male. Come to that, I wouldn’t be surprised if Zelinda Manson is a figment of Antonio Bartocetti’s imagination and the whole thing was recorded by him and Doris Norton with various collaborators. Similarly, we can safely assume that an earlier album by the band – 1985’s Firewitch – supposedly recorded by the duo doesn’t exist, despite being offered for sale at 400 euro on one of Jacula/Antonius Rex’s various websites. GRADE: B–.

Estrum (USA): A Comforting Psychosis (Nebulost Recordings NEB1, CD, with digipak, 2009)
Rock/Metal
Zena McKelby (lead vocals)
This is one of those quite-good-but-never-exactly-great albums that are so difficult to review. The riffs are suitably crunchy, the keyboards are nicely symphonic, the soaring vocals are melodic and the compositions are, well, not bad. As such, whilst there was ‘none more black’ than Smell The Glove’s replacement cover, there’s ‘none more C+’ than A Comforting Psychosis. GRADE: C+.

SubArachnoid Space (USA): Delicate Membrane (Charnel Music CHCD-22, CD, 1996)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson (guitar), Michelle Schreiber (drums, percussion)
There’s a limit to how exciting (let alone how varied) a series of instrumental psychedelic and space-rock jams recorded solely using electric guitars, bass, drums and percussion can be. That said, these are consistently good instrumental psychedelic and space-rock jams. Whether any of them are truly great psychedelic and space-rock jams is a different question. GRADE: C+.

SubArachnoid Space & Gravitar (USA): Live Noises (Enterruption, cassette, with slipcase and inserts, 1996)
Psychedelic
Melynda Jackson, Michelle Schreiber
This split live album features half an hour of jamming apiece from SubArachnoid Space and Gravitar. The SubArachnoid Space side is one of the wildest and most tripped-out things they've ever recorded and is truly impressive in its intensity. Gravitar are even more out-there, completing one of the more remarkable releases in the SubArachnoid Space discography. GRADE: B–.

Updated 4th January:

Illusions (UK): Illusions (Zella LPS 405, with booklet, 1983)
Pop/Rock
Sonja Elsworth (joint lead vocals), Patsy Sweeney (occasional vocals), Geather Dolan (ocasional vocals), Linda Donnell (occasional cocals), geraldine Milnes (synthesiser)
Unlike most school project albums, this rock opera about a Victorian strike at a match factory isn’t particularly folky: on the contrary, it’s rooted in mainstream pop/rock, with some assertive lead guitar, a few wave-ish touches from saxophone and lots of progressive twists and turns. Like most school rock operas, the music sometimes feels secondary to the lyrics, but there are plenty of good tunes here, adding up to an appealing album with that typical school project naïveté and charm. GRADE: C+.

Jr & His Soulettes (USA): Psychodelic Sounds (HMM SH 954-955, 1971)
Funk/Rock/Psychedelic/’Incredibly Strange Music’
Jacqueln Carol Moore (joint lead vocals, organ), Vinita Marie Moore (bass, organ), Denise Marshall Moore (drums)
The backstory to this album is as fascinating as its music: four little black kids – siblings aged from six to ten – form a band to record a pastiche of Sly & The Family Stone and other bands they love. Their father pays for 12 of their songs (all originals by band leader Harold Moore Jr) to be privately pressed as an album and arranges for a family member to shrinkwrap copies using a meat packing machine, which mangles a significant proportion of the run, creating a top-tier rarity. However, this is great fun from a musical standpoint too: eschewing Shaggs-style alternate tunings and stumbling minimalism, it offers basic but competent mainly instrumental funky soul/rock dominated by trebly organ and underpinned by a few Hendrix-like guitar flourishes and a surprisingly competent rhythm section. Some endearingly quirky track titles (‘Thing, Do The Creep’, ‘Momma, Love Tequila’, ‘Pimp’, ‘Waw-Waw Rock’ and ‘Rock ’N’ Roll Santa’) provide the icing on the cake. GRADE: B–.

Light Year (USA): Hypernauts Of The Absolute Elsewhere (Green Tree GTR 180, CD, with digipak and poster booklet, Germany, 2020, recorded 1976?)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive
Sharon Pucci (lead vocals)
The packaging doesn’t indicate when these final recordings were made by Light Year, but one can safely assume the mid-seventies. Once again, this is excellent jazz/rock: playful, energetic and involving, with lots of inventions and plenty of twists and turns, further confirming that they could have been a truly outstanding band had they stayed together. GRADE: B–.

Ocean (Canada): Put Your Hand In The Hand (Yorkville YVS 33005, 1971)
Folk/Rock
Janice Brown
The band sold more than a million copies of the self-penned title track as a 45 and delivered a parent album mixing the same kind of snappy gospel pop and rural CSN-style sounds. It’s nice enough and decidedly better than I expected, but at 28½ minutes and eight songs it hardly qualifies as a substantial artistic statement. GRADE: C+.

Updated 28th December:

Ebb (UK): Mad And Killing Time (Boudicca, CD, with A5 book, 2022)
Progressive
Erin Bennett (principal vocals, guitar, trumpet), Kitty Biscuits (occasional vocals, percussion), Nikki Francis (keyboards, flute, saxophone, clarinet), Suna Dasi (synthesiser, backing vocals), Anna Fraser (drums, percussion)
With its snatches of spoken voice, lush keyboards and mellow saxophone, this much more mature second ventuire often sounds like an updated Dark Side Of The Moon. However, unlike most Floyd copyists (notably Solar Project, let alone the more blatantly similar Cosmos) Ebb have influences that stretch far beyond Floyd. More importantly, they also have the quality that made Floyd truly special in the first place – eccentricity, as song titles like ‘Vorspiel/Grieg’s Diner’, ‘Violet Is Tits’ and ‘Krystal At The Red light’ imply. GRADE: B–.

Realisea (Holland): Mantelpeace (Freya FYR 192670, CD, with gatefold minisleeve and booklet, 2020)
Progressive
Marjolein de Graeve (joint lead vocals, flute)
With eleven songs averaging five minutes apiece, this symphonic rock album isn’t the most adventurous, but then that isn’t really the point. Realisea’s music is all about textures, and the combination of mellow vocals and lush swathes of keyboards is frequently delightful, even if there’s nothing here you won’t have heard before. GRADE: C+.
Realisea (Holland): Fairly Carefree (OOB 00B 22 017, with gatefold minisleeve, booklet and obi, 2022)
Progressive
Marjolein de Graeve (joint lead vocals, flute)
This second album is considerably more ambitious, with one track of 15 minutes and another of 11, and rather more dramatic too, taking the band’s sound closer to outfits like Karnataka. But as that comparison suggests, this is still firmly rooted in neoprogressive clichés and the sheer beauty that made their delicate debut appealing is rather less in evidence. GRADE: C+.

Sister Wives (UK): Y Gawres (Libertino LIB155, CDR, with digipak and booklet, 2022)
Garage/Pop/Folk
Donna Lee, Rose Love, Liv Willars, Lisa O’ Hara
This unusual album blends elements of every kind of music – pop, folk, hard rock, electronica, prog, you name it – into a home-made but compelling sonic stew. With a mellow naïveté at its core, this all feels very parochial (in a good way) and very Welsh (ditto): in fact, it’s the kind of album I would expect Sidan to record had they formed 50 years later. It’s also extremely difficult to describe, so you really need to hear it for yourself. GRADE: B–.

Solar Project (Germany): Restless (Green Tree GTR 185, CD, 2022)
Progressive
Sandra Baetzel (occasional vocals, saxophone)
This semi-concept album, divided into three suites, is certainly one of their better albums. Whether it quite crosses the divide from C+ to B– is another matter, though its Gimour-esque Floyd sound should please people enjoying that band’s eighties work. GRADE: C+.

Sun Or The Moon (Germany): Andromeda (Tonzonen TON144, CD, eith digipak, 2023)
Psychedelic
Susanne Baum (keyboards)
Titles like ‘Operation Mindfuck’, ‘Psychedelik Kosmonaut’, ‘Andromedan Speed Freaks’ and ‘The Art Of Microdosing’ set expectations somewhat high. But whilst no album could be as trippy as those monikers imply (except maybe Brainticket’s Cottonwoodhill), this is broadly the equal of their debut and a very enjoyable set of mildly Krauty, sometimes motorik space-rock. GRADE: B–.

Therion (Sweden): Leviathan III (Napalm NPR1219DP, CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2023)
Metal/Progressive
Rosalia Sairem (joint lead vocals), Lori Lewis (joint lead vocals), Chiara Malvestiti (joint lead vocals), Taida Nazraiċ (joint lead vocals), Merve Çakar (occasional vocals)
The name Therion is a guarantee of quality, but also a guarantee that this will sound like every other Therion album since Vovin. The title Leviathan III also delivers a pretty big hint (though Vovin XI would have made it even more obvious). Except that isn’t really true. By Therion’s standards, this is a pretty varied set (though they usually sound like themselves and sometimes like offshoot Luciferian Light Orchestra). As such, it’s one of their strongest outings in years; whether it will convert anyone who doesn’t already like Therion may be a differet matter. GRADE: B–.

Updated 21st December:

Ebb (UK): Death And The Maiden (Boudicca, CD, with A4 book, 2019)
Rock
Erin Bennett (principal vocals, guitar), Kitty Biscuits (occasional vocals), Nikki Francis (keyboards, flute), Anna Fraser (drums, percussion), Suna Dasi (backing vocals)
This mostly female band, masterminded by singer/songwriter Erin Bennett, offer an unusual style on their debut EP. Blending influences from garage rock, hard rock, post-punk and prog with all kinds of other elements, the disc features six intriguing, slightly amateurish, rather raw songs with plenty of joie de vivre. The only comparison that really springs to mind is the Bluehorses, but this is far less folky, so even that isn’really much of a comparison. GRADE: C+.

Invasion (UK): The Master Alchemist (This Is Music THISISM020, CD, with digipak, 2009)
Metal
Chantal Brown
This is certainly a wild ride, setting Chantal Brown’s manic soul-inflected vocals against harsh, dynamic riffing influenced by both doom and death metal. The whole thing lasts for only around 20 minutes – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as this is exhilarating in small doses but would become exhausting over the course of a 40-minute album. GRADE: C+.
See also Do Me Bad Things, Vôdûn

Kata Kolbert (UK): By Word Of Mouth (Soggy Moggy Tapes Toor 01, cassette, with booklet, promo letter and ribbon, 1989)
Garage/Psychedelic
Kata Kolbert (lead vocals, melodica)
‘This tape comes to you by way of a worn-out little four-track, a £20 reverb and a band of supportive musicians – forgive the rough edges and enjoy!’ announce the liner notes. I’ll certainly forgive: this is a lovely set of home-made songs with plenty of fuzz guitar, ending with an unusual reading of ‘Reynardine’ accompanied only by whooshing synthesiser. GRADE: C+.

Sun Or The Moon (Germany): Cosmic (Tonzonen TON087, CD, 2021)
Psychedelic
Susanne Baum (keyboards)
This band’s music sits betwixt jamming psychedelia and dance music, but in a completely different way from, say, Astralasia. It’s keyboard-baed, certainly, but rather less electronic and more rooted in rock, with some moments of considerable intensity (most notably during the excellent ‘Eldorado’). Not everything is of that standard, but overall this is an impressive and substantial set of mellow space-rock. GRADE: B–.

Jack Traylor & Steelwind (USA): Child Of Nature (Grunt BFL1-0194, with inner, 1973)
Folk/Rock
Diana Harris (occasional vocals, piano)
For better or worse, Steelwind launched the musical career of talented but Spinal Tap-esque Jefferson Starship guitarist Craig Chaquico – witness not only his fondness for fat powerchords with the band but also the moment during their 1983 video when he mouths ‘somebody to fuck’ instead of ‘Somebody To Love’. His squalling lead guitar significantly lifts this mellow but often propulsive set of CSN-style folk/rockers penned and fronted by his former English teacher Jack Traylor, who was a close friend of Grace Slick and Paul Kantner. There’s nothing here of the quality of the sublime ‘Flowers Of The Night’, which he contributed to their Baron Von Tollbooth…, but this is an enjoyable and accomplished album throughout, peaking on the heavier, trippier ‘Smile’. GRADE: C+.

Updated 14th December:

Creched (UK): My Friend Jesus (No label AC 003, 1975?)

Folk/Rock

This mysterious white label album has the word ‘Creched’ (I think) handwritten on one label and ‘My Friend Jesus’ on the other, with ‘AC 003’ (presumably the catalogue number) written on the plain white sleeve. Musically it’s Christian folk/rock with full band backing and occasional strings: a bit sweet and twee if sometimes quite beautiful, and very professionally arranged and produced. It seems likely that this is an unreleased album intended for a specialist Christian label rather than a private pressing, though it’s possible that it was issued under a different band name and/or album title. Ultimately, all I can say with any degree of certainty is that it’s British (judging from the singer’s accent) and dates from the seventies. GRADE: C+.

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+.

John Phillips (USA): Many Mamas, Many Papas (Varèse Sarabande 203 067 016 2, double CD, 2010, recorded 1981-1989)

Folk/Pop

Elaine McFarlane (joint lead vocals), Mackenzie Phillips (joint lead vocals)

This interesting archive release compiles studio and live recordings made by John Phillips and Denny Doherty across various abortive reunions of the Mamas & The Papas during the eighties, with Mackenzie Phillips, Elaine McFarlane and Scott McKenzie completing the line-up. The studio disc graphically illustrates why they failed to land a record deal: their folky pop is nice enough and sometimes quite charming but would have sounded incredibly anachronistic in the eighties. Worse, Phillips’s songwriting chops had deteriorated significantly since the sixties, so none of it really sticks in the mind. The live disc mixes a few sixties hits (though not the expected ‘California Dreaming’) with material from the participants’ other careers, including a Spanky & Our Gang medley and a version of ‘San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)’. Unfortunately, these tracks have slightly inferior sound quality to the studio numbers, though they’re still of professional standard. GRADE: C+.See also Mamas & The Papas, Spanky & Our Gang

Wondeur Brass (Canada): T’As Vu Mon Coing (Nikad Robom 006, cassette, Yugoslavia, 1987)
Jazz/Rock/Progressive/Avant-Garde
Joane Hétu (joint lead vocals, synthesiser, saxophone), Diane Labrosse (joint lead vocals, synthesiser), Marie Trudeau (bass), Danielle Roger (drums, backing vocals)
This live recording from Belgrade has sound quality slightly above that of a good bootleg, but the music is rather interesting. Crossing free-jazz and new wave influences, the band channels Henry Cow through an eighties prism, and whilst the results are somewhat rambling and diffuse (as is much live Henry Cow) it’s certainly full of surprises. GRADE: C+.

They Watch Us From The Moon (USA): Cosmic Chronicles, Act 1: The Ascension (New Heavy Sounds NHSCD043, CD, with digipak and booklet, UK, 2023)

Metal/Progressive

Lauren Mayhew, Chelsy Larsen

A doom/space-rock crossover? A track called ‘Mother Of All Bastards’? Does a certain Welsh band spring to mind? It certainly did for me, both before and after hearing this, but They Watch Us From The Moon take a slightly different approach to Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard. This isn’t as sludgy as MMWB nor as freefrom, with more of a stoner feel and vocals that are brighter and less ethereal. Which you prefer will depend on your tastes – I like both, but there’s no denying that MWWB take you on a wilder trip and planted their flag in the lunar surface first. GRADE: B–.

Woodbine & Ivy Band (UK): The Woodbine And Ivy Band (Folk Police Recordings FPR 004, CD, with digipak, 2011)

Folk/Rock

Jenny McCormick (occasional vocals), Fay Hield (occasional vocals), Pinkie Maclure (occasional vocals), Olivia Chaney (occasional vocals), Elle Osborne (occasional vocals), Jackie Oates (occasional vocals), Nancy Wallace (occasional vocals), Rachel McCarron (occasional vocals), Rachael Gladwin (harp)

The Woodbine & Ivy Band’s favourite film is clearly The Wicker Man, as evidenced by the lovely (and quite radical) version of ‘Gently Johnny’ but their favourite albums are clearly Liege And Lief and Fotheringay. Using different vocalists on every song (plus Starless & Bible Black’s Hélène Gauthier on backing vocals), they deliver a beautiful electric folk set with spellbinding versions of ‘Alison Gross’, ‘Twa Corbies’, ‘Poor Murdered Woman’ et al. As a contemporary tribute to Fairport, Steeleye, Trees, the Albion Band, Home Service and others, this simply succeeds on every level. GRADE: B–.

Woodbine & Ivy Band (UK): Sleep On Sleeping On (Static Caravan VAN281, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, 2014)

Folk/Rock/Progressive

Jenny McCormick (joint lead vocals), Rachael Gladwin (harp)

In sharp contrast to their debut, this features two lead vocalists throughout and mostly original compositions. It’s quite different musically, despite some hints of Fairport and Fotheringay and a couple of old-school electric folk tracks, with a much more modern, proggy sound and an emphasis on acoustic guitars, synthesisers and atmospherics. Which of their albums you prefer will depend on your tastes: mine perhaps tend more towards the first, but they’re both excellent. GRADE: B–.