Tri-Ty

Tri Atma (West Germany): Tri Atma (RCA PL 28347, 1979)
Folk/Jazz/World Music
Martina Specht (tamboura)
Formed by guitarist Jens Fischer and percussionist and singer Asim Saha, the long-running Tri Atma unsurprisingly played Euro-Indian fusion music. With a procession of short, varied, upbeat tracks, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable LP with an uplifting and sunny tone, even if it’s not the most profound musical experience. GRADE: C+.
Tri Atma (West Germany/India/Italy): Mighty Lotus (RCA LP 28402, West Germany, 1980)
Folk/Jazz/World Music
Maria Luise Pape (tamboura, dolcitano)
The first couple of cuts offer more new age-ish and jazzy takes on the sound of the previous LP, taking them closer to Popol Vuh, but thereafter they revert to type. Once again, this is nice, melodic, uplifting stuff, with excellent playing, but whilst it makes for great background music it rarely demands close attention. The band continued with an all-male line-up, though Maria Luise Pape put in a guest appearance on their subsequent album. GRADE: C+.

Triaxis (UK): Key To The Kingdom (No label, CD, 2009)
Metal
Krissie Kirby (lead vocals), Clare Hale (guitar)
This isn’t doom or death or gothic metal. It doesn’t attempt to cross metal with classical or folk or Celtic or world music. There are no keyboards or orchestrations or choirs or ethnic instruments. It’s just solid old school metal with vocals, dual guitars, bass and drums – solid and enjoyable if inevitably a touch generic. GRADE: C+.
Triaxis (UK): Rage And Retribution (Rocksector RSRCD1225, CD, 2012)
Metal
Krissie Kirby (lead vocals), Clare Hale (guitar)
Whilst in the same style as their first, this is more accomplished in every way: the recording is better, the sound is tauter, the tempo changes are more accomplished, and use of acoustic rhythm guitar and an instrumental add some welcome (though only slight) variety. GRADE: C+.
Triaxis (UK): Zero Hour (Rocksector RSRCD1250, CD, 2015)
Metal
Krissie Kirby (lead vocals), Clare Hale (guitar), Becky Baldwin (bass)
Again this is well recorded and deftly played, with powerful riffs and hooks in all the right places. The problem is that almost everything sounds the same, and the same as almost every song on their first two albums. GRADE: C+.

Tribu (Peru): Circulo (No label, CD, with poster sleeve and inner, 2018)
Folk/Rock/Psychedelic
Yazmín Cuadros (principal vocals, guitar, synthesiser, percussion, flute, ocarina, whistle)
This side-project by Richard Nossar of Don Juan Matus is quite different from his other band: teaming up with singer and multi-instrumentalist Yazmín Cuadros, he offers a superb album of psychedelic folk. In parts highly ethnic, in others more rocking and in others more cosmic, it’s a supremely trippy set and highly effective in all its different guises. GRADE: B–.

Tribute (Sweden): New Views (Heavenly Heights RP 10500, 1984)
Progressive
Lena Andersson (joint lead vocals, percussion), Nina Andersson (joint lead vocals, percussion, flute)
This is an enjoyable album of eighties progressive rock, peaking on the intense ‘Climbing To The Top’, which segues effortlessly into the sublime synthesiser-led ‘Unknown Destination’. Elsewhere, there’s a lovely folky piece (‘A New Morning’), a side-long suite that works well until it breaks into cheesy funky rock, and a rather underwhelming opening cut with some dated synthesiser leads. The disc is almost entirely instrumental, aside from a few wordless vocals. GRADE: C+.
Tribute (Sweden/France): Breaking Barriers (Heavenly Heights RP 10501, 1986)
Progressive
Lena Andersson (occasional vocals, percussion), Nina Andersson (occasional vocals, percussion, saxophone)
Like Breakthrough from earlier in the year (credited to ‘Pierre Moerlen’s Gong’, though actually cut by Tribute with Moerlen and Hansford Rowe), this mixes pretty good instrumentals with a couple of rather mediocre songs. Moerlen’s the drummer here, but this time round Tribute’s members handle most of the writing; however, the musical style isn’t enormously different. The funky ‘Dieselengine’, on which Moerlen is accompanied by three bassists, is especially good. GRADE: C+.
Tribute (Sweden/France): Live! (Heavenly Heights RP 1050L, 1986)
Progressive
Lena Andersson (joint lead vocals, percussion), Nina Andersson (joint lead vocals, synthesiser, percussion, saxophone, flute)
Like their studio albums, this is somewhat cheesy, but it’s an enjoyable set offering a good cross-section of material. The biggest surprise is the beautiful acapella ‘Through My Heart’, excellently sung by one of the two women. GRADE: C+.
Tribute (Sweden): Terra Incognita (Heavenly Heights RP 2000, 1990)
Progressive
Lena Andersson (principal vocals, percussion), Nina Andersson (vibraphone, flute, backing vocals)
The band’s final album returns to the structure of their debut, with shorter cuts on the first side and a lengthy suite taking up the second. Musically it has much more of a classical feel, with folky edges and epic arrangements featuring strings, horns and two separate choirs, although the cheesy tunefulness that marked their earlier work is still occasionally in evidence. The long suite, with its African edges and pronounced Mike Oldfield-like feel, is probably the band’s most creative recording. GRADE: C+.
See also Pierre Moerlen’s Gong

Tangela Tricoli (USA): Jet Lady (No label 2001, 1982)
Folk/Singer/Songwriter/‘Incredibly Strange Music’
Tangela Tricoli (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, tablas)
Tangela Tricoli was an airline pilot by day (as the album title suggests) and an aspiring folk singer/songwriter by night. One assumes that she flew considerably more competently than she wrote or sang, as this is a well-known item among ‘real people’ collectors. It’s certainly a suitably dislocating experience as Tricoli hesitantly and often tunelessly trills odd lyrics over her own acoustic guitar, clearly aiming for a vibe similar to someone like Joan Baez but ending up in radically different territory. The highpoint (for ‘incredibly strange music’ collectors, at least) will probably be the bizarre ‘Stinky Poodle’, which could be regarded as Ms Tricoli’s equivalent of ‘’My Pal Foot Foot’. GRADE: C+.

Tricycle (UK): Tricycle (Thor THOR 1005, 1973?)
Folk
Maureen Savage (joint lead vocals)
Only one copy is known of this Scottish folk set, issued on the same private label as the Captain Marryat LP (and in a similarly primitive flipback sleeve). Most of it is straightforward folk club, including such familiar numbers as ‘Leaving On A Jet Plane’ and ‘Streets Of London’, but they manage a nicely dreamy mood on ‘Scarborough Fair’, ‘Curragh Of Kildare’ and ‘As Tears Go By’. GRADE: C+.

Trilogy (USA): It Starts Again (GWP ST 2031, 1970)
Folk/Pop
As the band name suggests, this was a trio of a man and two women; the sleeve bears no credits, but all the songs were written by one Stephen Corey, so he was presumably the male member. This is delicate harmony folk/pop with a middle-of-the-road feel and some unusual melodic progressions and rhythms that suggest Corey may have been classically trained. Overall, it sounds a couple of years behind its time, and whilst the arrangements are accomplished, the songs often recall the clichés of professional tunesmiths, with the lyrics full of homilies about love lost and the tribulations of dropping out of straight society. GRADE: C.

Trinity Plus (UK): Songs From Thomas – A Rock Opera By Trinity Plus (MJB MJB LP 2002, 1974)
Folk/Rock
Mary Langfield (joint lead vocals), Amanda Airzee (joint lead vocals, clarinet), Carolyn Gower (piano), Jane Newman (trumpet), Shirley Spry (trumpet), Christine Lawrence (violin), Margaret Lawrence (violin), Leslie Lawrence (viola), Martyn Riggs (cello), Yvonne Furze (backing vocals), Amanda Beatty (backing vocals), Carol Fuell (backing vocals), Dorothy Hasler (backing vocals), Carol McLeish (backing vocals), Melinda Platt (backing vocals), Ann Ellis (backing vocals), Tracy Ridgeon (backing vocals), Fiona Tucker (backing vocals), Karen Booth (backing vocals), Deborah Furze (backing vocals), Denise Bysouth (backing vocals), Jenny Green (backing vocals), Eithne Fray (backing vocals), Ann Ridgeon (backing vocals), Liz Barrow (backing vocals), Margaret Parsons (backing vocals), Caren Taylor (backing vocals), Clare Airzee (backing vocals)
An ambitious rock opera by a church youth group, Songs From Thomas is a wonderfully amateurish piece that could have considerable appeal for ‘real people’ collectors. Whilst the arrangements feature the expected trumpets and woodwinds, there’s also quite a bit of heavy fuzz guitar buried in the mix, topped off by some frequently off-key vocals (plus an unexpected Australian accent for Caiaphas). Were this an American album from the same period, it would sell for a fortune, like the not dissimilar Hey Jesus Christ, Welcome To This World.

GRADE: C+.

Triple Trio (USA): Life’s Journey (Adohr, 1970)
Classical/Folk
Zenobia Conkerite (joint lead vocals, guitar), Kandee King (joint lead vocals), Maureen McDaniel (joint lead vocals), Margaret Merwin (joint lead vocals), Evelynne Ono (joint lead vocals), Janet Ellis (joint lead vocals), Rhoda Bowers (joint lead vocals), Carole Crooke (joint lead vocals), Marcia Okawa (joint lead vocals)
The nine-piece(!) Triple Trio’s album sells for fairly good money, despite most of it being straightforward choral music, performed entirely acapella. A few cuts with acoustic guitar backing have more of a folk feel and are definitely the highpoint; these include the closing title track, written by leader Zenobia Conkerite, who later went onto a career in disco music. Apparently a different Triple Trio (none of whom were actually trios, I presume) was formed each year at their college to do various kinds of charitable work; I haven’t encountered albums from any of their other incarnations. Overall this is a rather marginal LP, but it could have some appeal for school project collectors.

GRADE: C.

Trippa (UK): Sorry (Tigermoth CDTMR5, CD, 2007)
Pop/Rock
Christina Murphy (lead vocals)
In their day job as Magenta, Christina Murphy and Rob Reed offer plodding, uninspired pastiches of The Wall-era Pink Floyd and a slew of mainstream eighties neoprogressive bands. As Trippa, they offer plodding, uninspired pastiches of Garbage and a slew of nineties dream-pop acts. GRADE: C.
See also Christina, Magenta, Parzivals Eye

Tristania (Norway): Tristania (Aaron aaron cd 7, CD, 1997)
Metal/Progressive
Vibeke Stene (joint lead vocals)
This 27½-minute, four-track mini-album marks an impressive debut for Tristania. Their musical style is a mixture of gothic metal and progressive rock, with equal attention paid to the heavy-riffing sections and the beautiful acoustic passages. A variety of vocal styles – death growls, soprano singing and whispers – adds welcome variety, and overall this remains on the right side of the divide between sumptuous and overblown. The album was reissued, along with the 1999 CD single ‘Angina’ and the live video Widow’s Tour, as the CD/DVD compilation Midwinter Tears (Napalm NPR 168, Austria, 2005). GRADE: B.
Tristania (Norway): Widow’s Weeds (Napalm NPR041, CD, Austria, 1998)
Metal/Progressive
Vibeke Stene (joint lead vocals)
The band’s first full-length album includes two of the four songs from their debut, alongside seven other cuts. Musically, this is hugely impressive: rich, melodic symphonic metal with plenty of variety and surprise, including some beautiful acoustic moments. GRADE: B.
Tristania (Norway): Widow’s Tour (Napalm NPRV 001, VHS Austria, 1999)
Metal/Progressive
Vibeke Stene (joint lead vocals)
This fairly short set (around 45 minutes) features five live songs plus the promotional video for ‘Evenfall’. On stage, the band’s music is inevitably more stripped-down than on record, and the whole thing feels a little low-budget, but this is nonetheless a very strong live document. GRADE: B–.

Tristania (Norway): Beyond The Veil (Napalm NPR070, CD, Austria, 1999)
Metal/Progressive
Vibeke Stene (joint lead vocals)
Their third album is more varied than its predecessors, throwing in a little bit of everything into the mix. With everything from crushing riffs to soaring violin and passages of solo piano, it’s a remarkably confident and diverse record that succeeds in all its chosen guises. GRADE: B.
Tristania (Norway): World Of Glass (Napalm NPR 095, CD, Austria, 2001)
Metal/Progressive
Vibeke Stene (joint lead vocals)
The loss of the band’s leader Morten Veland (to form the broadly similar Sirenia) doesn’t seem to have affected Tristania much: this doesn’t have the sheer sense of surprise of their earlier work, but it isn’t really inferior. Oddly, the band chose not to replace Veland’s vocal role, so Vibeke Stene is the only member who sings, with guests providing the male vocals (which still dominate), thankfully with greater emphasis on clean singing. Here and there, slight sixties influences begin to show through, as do very minor techno edges recalling contemporaries Theatre Of Tragedy, suggesting that Tristania is beginning to move away from pure symphonic metal. GRADE: B–.
Tristania (Norway): Ashes (Steamhammer SPV 087-99200-CD, CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2005)
Metal/Progressive
Vibeke Stene (joint lead vocals)
Continuing the band’s evolution, Ashes blends influences from various styles of metal and hard rock, including some folky elements and a few slight pop touches. It’s again an interesting, accomplished and varied album, demonstrating Tristania to be a creative band that never stands still. GRADE: B–.

Tristania (Norway): Illumination (Steamhammer SPV 99800 CD Ltd, CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2007)
Metal/Progressive
Vibeke Stene (joint lead vocals)
Whilst representing no great artistic progression from Ashes, this is every inch its equal. Spanning various strands of metal, hard rock and prog, including a couple of beautiful ballads, this is powerful, dynamic and majestic stuff that confirms Tristania’s place as one of the best bands of their generation. GRADE: B–.
Tristania (Norway): Rubicon (Napalm NPR 344, CD, with digipak and booklet, Austria, 2010)
Metal
Mariangela Demurtas (joint lead vocals)
The big change here is the replacement of Vibeke Stene with new vocalist Mariangela Demurtas, who unlike her predecessor also plays a major part in the songwriting. Musically, this is similar to their last couple of sets, but much straighter – there’s nothing particularly wrong with the music here, which soars in all the right places, but there’s nothing particularly distinctive about it either. GRADE: C+.
Tristania (Norway): Darkest White (Napalm NPR 488, CD, with digipak and booklet, Austria, 2013)
Metal
Mariangela Demurtas (joint lead vocals)
Like its predecessor, this is fairly straight metal and a world away from their symphonic and progressive roots, but they’ve got their mojo back. The great melodies and riffs largely missing from Rubiconare present here, making for a great album of hard rock and contemporary metal.GRADE: B–.

Triste Janero (USA): Meet Triste Janero (White Whale WWS 7122, 1969)
Pop/Rock
Barbara Baines (lead vocals), Cass Moore (keyboards)
Soft rock fans will love this one, which has a gently flowing groove, featherlight female vocals and a Latin-esque flavour. The LP mostly consists of covers, including ‘Walk On By’ and ‘Let’s Get Together’, and the closing instrumental ‘TJ Blues’ strongly suggests that they would have developed into a prog or jam band had they stayed together. However, for the most part the pop elements are paramount, and the vibe never gets even moderately heavy. GRADE: C+.

Tristis (UK): Tristis (VROE, cassette, 1992)
Psychedelic
Kate Berry
This Cornish duo, who apparently emerged from a band called Wyrmturf which issued a cassette I have not encountered, offering rather eerie, slightly folky home-made psychedelia with mainly electronic arrangements. Occasionally this could be compared to a low-budget Clannad, though its influences are far wider-ranging, from borderline pop to dark indie to prog to hints of avant-gardism – a fascinating, unpredictable, meandering set that usually does what you’d least expect. GRADE: C+.
Tristis (UK): Here Be Dragons (VROE, cassette, 1994)
Psychedelic
Kate Berry
This is a bit more mantric than their first, toning down the folky songs somewhat, but it’s all broadly in the same vein. This mixture of ambient soundscapes, electronics, programmed drums and weird, trippy effects would doubtless have been refined into something more coherent had the band gained a conventional record deal – probably even if they had released their music on vinyl or CD rather than cassette – so this stands as a fascinating example of truly home-made music, without constraints, boundaries or commercial considerations.GRADE: C+.
Tristis (UK): Serpentbelly (VROE VRO 9, cassette, 1994)
Psychedelic
Kate Berry
The final Tristis album features the same material on both sides, rendered as first a ‘Cornish mix’ and then a ‘Nemia ambient mix’, As that might suggests, this is more song-based (at least on the first side) than their last couple of albums, again with mainly electronic backing, though some folky touches remain, as on the crystalline acid-folk ballad ‘Oh Mary’. However, if you’re anticipating that Tristis have moved towards dance music, fear not: for the most part this sounds like a more commercial sidestep from contemporary Clannad, emphasising the synthesised and world music elements. GRADE; C+.

Trivelin (Belgium): Musiques D’Hier Pour Temps Nouveaux (No label IGL 84011, 1984)
Folk/Rock
Christiane Cornet (synthesiser, accordion), Martine Everling (accordion, flute), Jacqueline Servias (vielle)
As the title suggests, this album aims to unify ancient and modern musical styles, setting vielles, bagpipes and accordions against electric guitar and programmed percussion. Entirely instrumental, the album consists of 17 tracks of around two minutes apiece, and therein lies its only downfall – I’d have loved to hear what the band could have achieved on some lengthy suites. Nonetheless, this is a fine and occasionally very inventive album: whilst a few cuts may be little more than jaunty morris-style music, at its best this offers some rich musical textures recalling everyone from City Waites to Shirley & Dolly Collins to Malicorne. GRADE: B–.

Trivelin (Belgium): Joue Jamin Et Autres Jaminières (No label IGLOO 868, 1986)
Folk/Rock/Progressive
Christiane Cornet (synthesiser, percussion, accordion, vielle), Martine Everling (synthesiser, percussion, accordion, flute), Jacqueline Servais (synthesiser, percussion, vielle)
Their second and final album has the longer, more involved suites their first didn’t, but is fair less startling and innovative. Nonetheless, this is lovely instrumental music: delicate, dainty, atmospheric and creative. GRADE: B–.

Trop Féross (Canada): Resürrection (Nosferatu UR-1234, 1986)
Metal
Ginette Provost (lead vocals, guitar)
Experimental metal wasn’t exactly common in the eighties, and this 18-minute EP – the band’s only recordings – represents the earliest example I can think of. Side one is more conventional, with a grungy, speedy style, although the odd tempo changes and Ginette Provost’s bizarre, strangulated yowls take it into unique territory. Side two is instrumental and in a doom vein, with a version of ‘In The Hall Of The Mountain King’ followed by the eight-minute blowout ‘Chevalier Blanc’. Amateurish, weird and unlike almost anything else that was happening at the time, this is difficult to grade – but also difficult to forget. GRADE: B–.

Trout (USA): The Trout (MGM SE 4592, 1968)
Pop/Psychedelic
Cassandra Morgan
As a synthesis of over-orchestrated commercial harmony pop and arrangement and production touches as eccentric as the first couple of Mutantes albums, this is likely to strike listeners in one of two ways. Some will consider it a baroque popsike masterpiece, which was presumably the band’s ambition. Others, like me, will hear a pretentious pop record that occasionally succeeds in being clever and inventive, but consistently fails to include memorable songs. GRADE: C.
See also MorganMasonDowns

Trúbrot (Iceland/USA): Trúbrot (Parlophone SCPMA 27, Iceland, 1969)
Pop/Psychedelic
Shady Owens
This rare Icelandic album covers a wide range of territory – from folky ballads to late beat to light psychedelic rock – with varied arrangements including lots of baroque strings and horns. There’s even an oddball, rather arch, nine-minute theatrical suite to close proceedings, so whilst intermittently excellent the LP is all over the place. GRADE: C+.
See also Hljómar, Náttúra

Trugs (UK): And Boldly Go To Sea (Tradition TSR 005, 1971)
Folk
Maggie Robertson (joint lead vocals)
The label is aptly named, as this is an almost entirely acapella collection of traditional English folk tunes. It’s extremely well done for what it is, but I’d imagine its appeal would be fairly selective. GRADE: C+.

Truth (USA): Truth (People PLP-5002, 1970)
Rock
This obscurity is difficult to describe, because its tracks are perversely so varied (harmony pop, country-tinged rock, Christian rock, mainstream pop/rock, Jefferson Airplane-influenced light psych) and yet so homogenous. It’s competently done, with several decent tracks, but there’s only one you really need to go out of your way to hear – the floating, sitar-backed ‘Thoughts’. GRADE: C.

Tryad (USA): …If Only You Believe In Lovin’ (Storm King SKS 101, with booklet, 1972)
Folk/Rock
Norine Lyons (joint lead vocals)
I was initially underwhelmed by Tryad’s music, probably as a result of having first heard ‘Eulogy/Raga’ – a superb piece of British-style acid-folk that’s completely different from anything else on the LP. The remainder is relaxed rural folk and folk/rock with a strongly American feel and some unusually poignant lyrics; it’s all very melodic, haunting and understated. The country tinges don’t do their sound many favours, and the lack of variety makes the album drag a little towards the end, but they were certainly gifted songwriters and this is a lovely, warm and evocative record. GRADE: C+.

Tsuki-Usagi (Japan): Tsuki-Usagi (Muséa/Poseidon FGBG 4863/PRF-063, CD, France, 2010)
Progressive
Reina (lead vocals, flute)
This is relaxed, melodic symphonic progressive led by electric guitar, keyboards and flute. Featuring typically sumptuous Japanese arrangements, it recalls innumerable female-fronted eighties prog bands from the Far East, with no real identity of its own. GRADE: C+.

Maureen Tucker (USA): Playin’ Possum (Trash TLP 1001, 1981)
Garage
Maureen Tucker (lead vocals, guitar, bass, synthesiser, drums, percussion, saxophone, harmonica)
The former Velvet Underground drummer’s belated solo debut is a low-budget, stripped-down garage rock affair, with Tucker playing all the instruments herself. Most of the songs are cover versions (mainly of Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Bo Diddley, although there’s also an interpretation of a Vivaldi piece) though few are recognisable in their new forms. In many ways, this is closer to the spirit of the early Velvet Underground than any of the solo releases by her more celebrated colleagues. GRADE: C+.
Moe Tucker (USA): MoeJadKateBarry (Fifty Skidillion Watts MOE 1, 12" EP, with insert, 1986)
Garage
Maureen Tucker (drums, backing vocals)
For her second solo release, Tucker assembled a backing band – not entirely surprisingly comprising Jad Fair, Kate Messer and Barry Stock. Oddly, Fair takes the lead vocals, with Tucker contributing backing vocals to only one cut. Two of the five songs are new interpretations of Velvet Underground numbers, and the style is once again mostly raw garage rock. For no obvious reason, four of the five songs were included as bonus tracks on the CD reissue of Life In Exile After Abdication; why they chose to excise the 90-second ‘Jad Is A Fink’ I have no idea. GRADE: C+.
Maureen Tucker (USA): Life In Exile After Abdication (Fifty Skidillion Watts MOE 7-2, CD, 1989)
Garage
Maureen Tucker (lead vocals, guitar, piano, drums, percussion)
The list of backing musicians indicates Tucker’s stature within the music industry: Lou Reed, Jad Fair, Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Don Fleming and others. Together, they produced another excellent garage rock set with some psychedelic undertones, peaking on the powerful opener ‘Hey Mersh!’ and the long, slightly avant-garde instrumental ‘Chase’. I also like her cover – if that’s the word for a song on which she originally performed – of ‘Pale Blue Eyes’. GRADE: C+.
Mo Tucker (USA): I Spent A Week There The Other Night (New Rose rose 273 cd, CD, France, 1991)
Garage
Maureen Tucker (lead vocals, guitar, bass, percussion)
Whilst not breaking any new ground, this is another enjoyable garage set, with the backing musicians this time around including Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison and Don Fleming. GRADE: C+.
Moe Tucker (USA): Oh No, They’re Recording This Show (New Rose 44218, CD, France, 1992)
Rock/Garage
With Sterling Morrison in the backing band (there are no detailed musician credits, but presumably Maureen herself plays rhythm guitar as well as singing) Tucker offers a lively and enjoyable live set. As with all her solo albums, this isn’t exactly challenging or creative music, but then that isn’t really the point. GRADE: C+.
Moe Tucker (USA): Dogs Under Stress (New Rose 422492, CD, France, 1994)
Rock/Garage
Maureen Tucker (lead vocals, guitar, percussion, saxophone)
This is probably my favourite of Tucker’s solo albums, although they’re very much of a piece (whatever she was, she certainly wasn’t a versatile artist). Anyone who likes the simpler, groovier side of the Velvet Underground should love this too. GRADE: C+.
Moe Tucker (USA): Moe Rocks Terrastock – Live In Seattle (Captain Trip CTCD-400, CD, with obi, Japan, 2002)
Rock/Garage
Maureenn Tucker (principal vocals, guitar)
Tucker’s second and final live album as usual offers solid guitar-led garage rock. There’s nothing startling here (although ‘I’m Sticking With You’ is a very welcome slight surprise) but it’s listenable enough. GRADE: C+.
See also Kropotkins, Velvet Underground

Tudor Lodge (UK/USA): Tudor Lodge (Vertigo 6360 043, UK, 1971)
Folk/Pop
Ann Steuart (joint lead vocals, guitar, piano, flute)
This admittedly rare album sells for colossal sums of money, but I suspect that’s more to do with its magnificent 36" x 36" die-cut foldout sleeve and the cachet of the Vertigo label than the music. On the plus side, ‘Willow Tree’ has a mystical acid-folk edge and ‘The Lady’s Changing Home’ is a great late period Beatles-style melodic rocker (with electric guitar leads and no orchestration, both unusual for this album). The remainder is pleasant but not particularly memorable wistful hippie folk/pop with lyrics about lovely days at Kew Gardens and suchlike, plus musical backing combining harmony vocals, acoustic guitars, a rhythm section and baroque strings and woodwind. As a footnote, this is a very oddly recorded set, with the majority of the lead vocals being off-centre. GRADE: C+.
Tudor Lodge (UK): Let’s Talk (Cast Iron CIRCD 010, CD, USA, 1997)
Folk
Lynne Whiteland
Returning as a duo of founder John Stannard and new member Lynne Whiteland (though about half the tracks here are eighties recordings featuring remaining original member Lyndon Green), Tudor Lodge managed a pleasant second album. Retaining the mellow style of the 1971 set but abandoning the strings and woodwind (and only using a rhythm section on the eighties numbers), this is probably a more consistent LP overall although it never equals its predecessor’s occasional highpoints. GRADE: C+.
Tudor Lodge (UK): Dream (Cast Iron CIRCD 012, CD, 1999)
Folk
Lynne Whiteland
Mostly written and sung by Whiteland, this is almost entirely acoustic (with a guest musician contributing electric guitar and keyboards here and there). Whilst not exactly groundbreaking, this is probably their best album to date, with a really lovely selection of bittersweet songs. The best track is probably the haunting ‘Sea Horses Dance’, although it borrows most of its melody and atmosphere from Renaissance’s ‘At The Harbour’. The CDR reissue from 2006 (Cast Iron CIRCD 018) adds two bonus tracks. GRADE: C+.
Tudor Lodge (UK): Runaway (Belle Antique BELLE 03089, CD, with booklet, Japan, 2003)
Folk
Lynne Whiteland (principal vocals, guitar, percussion)
Whilst perfectly listenable, this has a less inspired set of songs than its predecessor. As a result, none of the material is particularly memorable, although it’s all gentle and wistful enough. GRADE: C+.
Tudor Lodge (UK): Unconditional (Cast Iron CIRCD 017, CDR, 2006)
Folk
Lynne Whiteland
With a more consistent and accomplished set of songs than on Runaway, this is another mellow and satisfying LP. GRADE: C+.
Tudor Lodge (UK): Stay (Cast Iron CIRCD 023, CD, 2013)
Folk
Lynne Whiteland (principal vocals, guitar, whistle)
Seemingly immune to changing musical landscapes, Tudor Lodge offer another collection of relaxed and gentle songs – all beautifully crafted, haunting and sublimely mellow. GRADE: C+.

Tudor Lodge (UK): Spaces (Cast Iron Recordings CIRCD 027, CD, 2016)
Folk/Rock
Lynne Whiteland
At its best – notably on ‘Fantasy’ – this surpasses their previous work, using simple folk/rock backing to achieve a haunting atmosphere that their über-collectible debut couldn’t manage with all its grandiose arrangements. The other obvious highpoints are the bluesy ‘Wish That I Wasn’t There’ and the delicate ‘September Rain’, which aren’t quite the equal of ‘Fantasy’ but are nonetheless beautiful, wistful songs. The remaining songs are pleasant and charming rather than truly special, though the mildly country-flavoured closer ‘Rock Me Gently’ is pretty damn good – actually, the whole album is. GRADE: C+.
Tudor Lodge (UK/USA): It All Comes Back (Scenescof SCOFCD 1005, CD, USA, 1998, recorded 1970-1997)
Folk
Linda Thompson (joint lead vocals), Ann Steuart (joint lead vocals, flute), Lynne Whiteland (joint lead vocals, guitar)
This interesting outtakes compilation features live cuts from 1970 and 1981, the non-LP B-side of ‘The Lady’s Changing Home’, and studio demos from 1971 (with Linda Thompson replacing Ann Steuart), 1972 (featuring John Stannard solo) and 1997. What is striking is how much of a piece these disparate recordings sound, indicating that Tudor Lodge had a pleasant, mellow, mid-Atlantic style that could stand up well without the elaborate orchestrations of the Vertigo LP. GRADE: C+.
See also Bunch, Brian Patten, Linda Thompson, Richard & Linda Thompson, Thompson Family

Tuesday Coffee Social (UK): Not Messin’ Around (Sticky 7V, 2014)
Rock
Mariah Heathcote (joint lead vocals, guitar, ukulele), Amelia Wallace (occasional vocals, ukulele)
School project albums – especially on vinyl – are a rarity these days, so this was a pleasant surprise; it even has an old-school minimalist black-and-white sleeve. Essentially, this project by the Holly Lodge Rock School is dominated by the singing and songs of Brad Stokes and Mariah Heathcote, with significant contributions from Amelia Wallace and Josh Sadler. The style is mainstream rock, and whilst the end results aren’t hugely distinctive this is a nice, unpretentious LP with a welcome sense of naïveté. GRADE: C+.

Tulipe Noire (Greece): In The Gates Of Dream (Europa REC-CD-103, CD, 1996)
Progressive
Lena (principal vocals)
The band formerly known as Mauri Toulipa return with an appropriately titled second album, as this has a fairly surreal, dreamlike quality for much of the time. Whilst quite amateurish, it contains some atmospheric moments and some fine riffs and melodies, but everything is undermined by the unsubtle and ostentatious stadium rock-style drumming. The oddness is compounded by some fairly heavily accented vocals and quite strange lyrics; with a different drummer and lyrics in Greek this could have been a far more satisfying LP. GRADE: C.
Tulipe Noire (Greece): Shattered Image (Muséa FGBG LC 9709, CD, France, 2000)
Progressive
Ima (principal vocals)
For their third album (and their second as La Tulipe Noire) the band returned with a new singer and a new drummer. Both were excellent moves: the English pronunciation is far superior here, whilst the drumming never offends. Notwithstanding, the resulting album is solid rather than great: melodic neoprogressive with some nice melodies and textures but containing nothing really distinctive or memorable. GRADE: C+.
Tulipe Noire (Greece): Faded Leaves (Muséa FGBG 4453.AR, CD, France, 2002)
Progressive
Ima (lead vocals)
This is probably their best album to date, showcasing their unusual, rather wistful material to good effect. Even by the standards of neoprog bands they cram in the lyrics, with few extended instrumental breaks, but unlike most neoprogressive outfits their song structures owe little to mainstream pop and rock. The actual musical textures are heavily rooted in contemporary sympho-prog, however, so whilst this is consistently pleasant it’s in no way exceptional. GRADE: C+.
Tulipe Noire (Greece): Nostimon Hemar (Muséa FGBG 4635 AR, CD, France, 2006)
Progressive
Ima (principal vocals)
This concept album about Odysseus is a bit more varied and dramatic than their earlier work, making for their most interesting and ambitious set so far. However, the musical textures are still firmly neoprogressive and they’re still cramming in wall-to-wall lyrics, so this is hardly a lost classic. GRADE: C+.
Tulipe Noire (Greece): Matricide (Muséa FGBG 4928, CD, France, 2013)
Progressive
Julie Massino (principal vocals)
Returning with another new singer, La Tulipe Noire deliver their best release – a powefful, dramatic concept set building on the sound of Nostimon Hemar. On the downside, it’s a little low-budget and occasionally a touch cheesy, but it’s a very solid LP with some good riffs and tunes. GRADE: C+.

Tully (Australia): Sea Of Joy (Harvest SHVL 605, 1971)
Progressive/Psychedelic
Shayna Karlin (joint lead vocals, percussion)
Recorded as the soundtrack to a film about surfing, this mainly instrumental LP covers a wide range of moods and textures. Mainly it’s gentle and whimsical, but it also takes in experimental rock (‘Follow Me’), eerie ethnic sounds (‘I Feel The Sun’ and ‘Softly, Softly’) and Eastern ragas recalling the related Extradition (‘Syndrone’). Some listeners may find this rather slight due to the lack of actual songs, but it’s a consistently fine LP and frequently very impressive – I much prefer it to Extradition, for starters. GRADE: B–.
Tully (Australia): Loving Is Hard (Harvest SHVL-607, 1972)
Folk/Rock/Progressive
Shayna Karlin (joint lead vocals)
Unlike its predecessor, this is an album of songs, including a remake of ‘Ice’ from the Extradition LP. Whilst there are some strong musical moments, it’s all a bit sombre and slow-paced and a few injections of rock excitement would have lifted the mood enormously. GRADE: C+.
See also Extradition

Tundra (UK): A Kentish Garland (Sweet Folk & Country SFA 078, 1978)
Folk
Sue Hudson (joint lead vocals, concertina, dulcimer)
The husband-and-wife folk duo of Doug and Sue Hudson were regular fixtures on the Kent folk club scene during the seventies, and consequently featured on three of Eron Records’ multi-artist compilations (appearing on Good Folk Of Kent as half of Mingled, with Phil and Kay Burkin from Vulcan’s Hammer). Their own album is a pleasant if not particularly distinctive traditional folk affair, not a million miles from Vulcan’s Hammer, with three members of Fiddler’s Dram providing the backing. The most noteworthy number is probably the rather eerie ‘Tarry Trowsers’, which sets a multitracked vocal from Sue Hudson against a minimalist harmonium accompaniment. GRADE: C+.
See also Various ‘Folk In Sandwich’, Various ‘Good Folk Of Kent’, Various ‘Travelling Folk’

Tunefish (West Germany): Guitar Poetry (WMMS 003, CD, 1989)
Rock/Progressive
Elke Diepenbeck (principal vocals)
This truly strange neoprogressive album weaves elements of all kinds of music – everything from classical and church music to reggae – into short songs rooted in pop, AOR and lightweight hard rock. Despite some clever arrangement touches, the musicianship is frequently amateurish and the sound consistently lo-fi, with the whole thing sometimes bordering on complete incompetence. It’s odd through and through, and whilst perfectly listenable and mildly interesting it’s no surprise that they never recorded again. GRADE: C.

Tuntematon Tekiiä (Finland): Ihmemaa (CBS 26679, with inner, 1985)
Pop/Rock
Elena Heiska (joint lead vocals)
From the attractive mystical sleeve and inner, this looks like prog, but in fact it’s new wave-tinged pop/rock. Despite some psychedelic touches in the guitar work, this is often a rather nondescript LP, but it does have its moments: the jazzy folk/rocker ‘Hirveä Hirmulisko’ is gently charming and makes one wish the whole album had been in the same vein. GRADE: C.

Turid (Sweden): Vittras Visor (Silence SRS 4609, with inner, 1971)
Singer/Songwriter
Turid Lundqvist (lead vocals, guitar)
The opening ‘Song’ is obviously derived from Joni Mitchell and Melanie, and their styles cast a long shadow over Lundqvist’s debut album. However, it also draws significantly on her native Swedish folk traditions, with several cuts sung in Swedish. Jazz and psychedelic influences appear here and there, and the album closes with an acapella number followed by a short instrumental. The best cuts are probably the delicate ‘To The Children Of Song My’ and ‘Crystal Shade Of Loneliness’. GRADE: C+.
Turid (Sweden): Bilder (Silence SRS 4616, with booklet, 1973)
Singer/Songwriter/Folk/Psychedelic
Turid Lundqvist (lead vocals)
She actually covers Joni Mitchell here (‘I Had A King’ with new Swedish lyrics) but otherwise this is where she really forges her own identity. Mitchell or Melanie would never have created an album as delicate and subtly trippy as this (let alone a song as overtly psychedelic as the rather weird ‘Tom I Bollen’) or packaged it in a sleeve depicting a naked nymph (based on Lundqvist herself, perhaps?). This is by far her most interesting and creative album. GRADE: B–.
Turid (Sweden): Tredje Dagen (Silence SRS 4628, with booklet, 1975)
Folk/Psychedelic
Turid Lundqvist (lead vocals, guitar, piano, xylophone, cithar)
The three best cuts here – ‘Vakna, Mitt Barn’, ‘Stjärnor Och Änglar’ and ‘På Tredje Dagen Uppstånda’ – are masterpieces of psychedelic folk, with dreamy, trippy atmospheres. The remainder is irritatingly patchy, with a couple of throwaway acapella numbers and a slightly fragmented feel. Curiously, Lundqvist writes less than half the material this time around. GRADE: B–.
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 is quite a change of direction, showing Lundqvist teaming up with two other Swedish folk luminaries to produce an accomplished album of traditional folk. Several cuts are acapella, whilst others have backing from hand percussion or acoustic instrumentation. None of the material is self-penned. GRADE: C+.
Turid (Sweden): Selma, Världserövrare (Metronome MRLP-ST-15619, with inner, 1977)
Folk/Rock
Turid Lundqvist (lead vocals, guitar, cittra, flute)
This offers a mix of folk styles, from one short acapella piece through some delicate acoustic numbers to several folk/rock cuts with jazzy or (less commonly) bluesy edges. Very little of the material is self-penned, which is a pity as the two best numbers (the mellow soft rocker ‘Javisst Går Det An’ and the mediaeval-tinged title track) were both composed by Lundqvist. Overall, this is a pleasant and well-assembled album, but never a very remarkable one. GRADE: C+.
MA Numminen & Turid (Finland/Sweden): Fårskallevisor (Love LRLP 236S, with inner, Sweden, 1978)
Folk/Rock
Turid Lundqvist (joint lead vocals)
This collaborative effort has an impressive and slightly sinister cover, but that’s where my praise for it ends. Numminen writes all the songs, and I don’t like his whimsical material at all, and even less the children’s choir that appears on a few numbers; his singing is dreadful too, leading one to wonder whether he was attempting to be funny or whether the album was actually aimed at kids. GRADE: D.
Turid (Sweden): Tistlar Från Tundran (Metronome MLP 15.661, with inner, 1980)
Folk/Rock
Turid Lundqvist (lead vocals, guitar, dulcimer, kantele)
Quite a return to form, this is a lovely and varied album of folk/rock. ‘Finsk Menuett’, which closes side one, is the standout cut, blending influences from mediaeval and psychedelic music, but everything works well – even the country-tinged opener ‘Pä Väg’. Perhaps not coincidentally, Lundqvist does a little more writing this time around, although fewer than half the songs are self-penned. GRADE: B–.
Thomas Wiehe & Turid Lundqvist (Sweden): Flow Soma (Silence SRS 4672, with booklet, 1981)
Folk
Turid Lundqvist (lead vocals)
Lundqvist’s collaboration with guitarist and songwriter Thomas Wiehe is considerably more successful than that with NA Numminen: this is a lovely album of baroque folk. A few tracks are a little throwaway, but overall this is charming stuff, full of joy and optimism, and quite superbly put together. GRADE: C+.
See also Lena Ekman

Jean Turk’s Truth (UK/USA): Live In Northampton 1976 (Seelie Court sclp041, 2022, recorded 1976)
Rock
Jean Turk (lead vocals)
American singer Jean Turk relocated to Northampton in the seventies and apparently recorded with Axe guitarist Tony Barford (who does not appear here). This is a short (25½ minutes) set of underground rock with assertive vocals and guitar work, though unfortunately only superior bootleg sound quality. With the songs ranging from ‘Badge’ to ‘Bony Moronie’, this is an enjoyable enough concert document that I look forward to hearing more of Ms Turk’s music from Seelie Court. GRADE: C+.

Nik Turner’s Sphnyx (UK/France): Xitintotoday (Charisma CDS 4011, with booklet, UK, 1978)
Psychedelic/New Age/Progressive
Miquette Giraudy (occasional vocals, synthesiser, bells)
With a line-up largely composed of Gong alumni and associates (Steve Hillage, Harry Williamson, Tim Blake, Mike Howlett and Miquette Giraudy), one might expect this to sound like a cross between Hawkwind and Gong. However, whilst it hints at a much spacier and less jazzy sidestep from Shamal, the first half is generally quite different – weird, minimalist and spacy, with spoken and electronically-treated vocals fronting meandering flute, skittering percussion and echoes recorded in actual pyramids. Thankfully it becomes less ponderous as it proceeds, moving in the direction of You or solo Hillage-style hypnotic grooves, though I’d still have preferred a different vocal style (or more material fronted by Miquette Giraudy). GRADE: C+.

See also Gong, Steve Hillage, Mirror System, Orb, System 7

Turquoise (Poland): Turquoise (Ars Mundi AMS 027R, CD, 2001)
Folk/Rock/Progressive
Katarzyna Jajko (lead vocals)
With a soft, dreamy sound, this pleasant album features a succession of symphonic folk/rock songs, interspersed with a few instrumentals. With plenty of classical guitar and lush keyboards, it has a gentle, relaxing mood and is consistently enjoyable despite a lack of really memorable songs. GRADE: C+.
Turquoise (Poland): Po Drugiej Stronie (Ars Mundi AMS 033R, CD, 2003)
Progressive
Agnieszka Dudek (joint lead vocals), Lilia Wojciechewska (joint lead vocals)
Replacing their original singer with three new vocalists (including Agnieszka Dudek and Lilia Wojciechowska from Amarok), the band returned with a vastly superior second album. Combining discrete tracks with a suite in the middle of the disc, Po Drugiej Stronie is wonderfully dynamic, alternating the band’s original folk/rock style with passages of stately hard rock complemented by assertive male vocals. It’s superb stuff, with classical influences deftly worked in, and dwarfs its predecessor in its sheer scope and scale. GRADE: B–.
Turquoise (Poland): Futura (Ars Mundi AMS 041, CD, 2006)
Progressive
Martyna Srocka (lead vocals)
Completing the transition begun on Po Drugiej Stronie, their third and final album drops all their original folk influences for a straightforward neoprogressive sound. Sometimes majestic, sometimes dynamic and sometimes rather pedestrian, it’s a short and rather slight album of discrete songs that’s mostly very enjoyable but also rather disappointing after its predecessor. GRADE: C+.
See also Amarok

Twelfth Night (UK): Twelfth Night (No label, cassette, 1980)
Progressive
Electra Macleod (lead vocals)
This neoprogressive band released a string of albums, but this obscure debut cassette was the only one to feature a female vocalist. The extended instrumental ‘Afghan Red’ is excellent, whilst the other three numbers (keyboard-driven songs with dense, high-tech arrangements) are less impressive but solid enough. Opening song ‘The Cunning Man’ was also the A-side of The First 7" Album, also released in 1980, coupled with the non-LP instrumental ‘Für Helene’. As a footnote, the three vocal numbers were featured on a double CD compilation of the band’s work, Voices In The Night. GRADE: C+.

Twentieth Century (UK): A Folk Passion (Reflection RL 305, with poster, 1972)
Folk/Rock
Mo Brown (joint lead vocals), Polly Monroe (joint lead vocals), Margaret Crago (occasional vocals), Anne Howarth (occasional vocals), Jan Lowe (occasional vocals), Sue McHaffie (occasional vocals), Margaret O’ Malley (occasional vocals), Julie Pittaway (occasional vocals), Ruth Slack (occasional vocals)
This remake of A Folk Passion features several singers and musicians from the original 1969 recording, including its composer John Lockley, alongside members of Sounds Of Salvation. Unlike the original, it’s very professionally performed, with an excellent stereo recording, and is objectively a far superior rendition of the work. However, private pressing enthusiasts may consider the trade-off moot as this has none of the otherworldly atmosphere of the original. The poster, incidentally, is nothing more than a giant lyric sheet with a blank rear. GRADE: C+.

See also Cambridge Twentieth Century Church Light Music Group

Twenty One Crows (UK): Australia EP (Endless 10END019, 10", with insert, 2019)
Folk/Psychedelic
Mary Hampton (joint lead vocals), Rebecca Tann (accordion)
Limited to 50 numbered copies in hand-painted covers, this charming EP features one long song (‘The Shores Of Australia’) on the first side, which is eerie and psychedelic, and two shorter numbers on the flip, which are more conventional acoustic folk. Overall, this is lovely, atmospheric and mournful stuff. GRADE: B–.

Twilight Odyssey (USA): Twilight Odyssey (No label, CD, 2005)
Metal
Pamela J Berlinghof (lead vocals)
Despite a few progressive twists and turns and some nifty production touches, this is fairly straight old school metal – not a style I find enormously exciting unless the songs are killers. These aren’t, but at least the progressive twists and turns and nifty production touches add a little spice. GRADE: C+.

Twist (West Germany): Repp + Bela Ha (Stono 84, cassette, 1984)
Psychedelic/Pop/Garage
Bela Ha (joint lead vocals, keyboards, recorder)
If you can get past the basic four-track recording and primitive drum machine, this is a charming album of home-made psychedelic pop with plenty of trippy moments. Comparisons could be drawn with early Fit & Limo and I can hear echoes of all other kinds of eighties underground acts, even including a few hints of Mother Gong. The end results are melodic, unassuming and mostly enjoyable. GRADE: C+.
Twist (West Germany): Searching The White Star (Stono 85, cassette, 1985)
Psychedelic/Pop/Garage
Bela Ha (occasional vocals, keyboards)
Their second album is slightly better recorded than their first and makes their postpunk roots slightly more clear, but otherwise this is very much business as usual. Whilst this isn’t what you’d call substantial music, it’s again enjoyable, unassuming and winsome. GRADE: C+.
Twist (West Germany): Beyond The Tides (Stono 86, cassette, 1986)
Psychedelic/Pop/Garage
Bela Ha (joint lead vocals, keyboards)
Again, any sense of artistic development is pretty small: the only real change here is that they’re using live drums. Nonetheless, it’s an improvement and this is another satisfying album of homemade psychedelic pop. GRADE: C+.
Twist (West Germany): Right Now (Stono 87, cassette, with insert, 1987)
Psychedelic/Pop/Garage
Bela Ha (joint lead vocals, keyboards)
They’ve added a dedicated drummer here, and their sound is subtly changed: a bit heavier, a touch punkier, a mite bluesier. However, it’s still impressively trippy in parts, and with the recording quality continuing is improve, this is probably their best release to date. GRADE: C+.
Twist (West Germany): Eight Arms To Hold You (Stono 88, cassette, 1988)
Psychedelic/Pop/Garage
Bela Ha (joint lead vocals, synthesiser)
As the title suggests, they’re now a quartet with a dedicated bassist, but it hasn’t really changed their sound in any way. The garage elements of their music are now more to the fore, with the psychedelic and pop edges slightly reduced compared to their debut, but they’re still very recognisably the same act that cut Repp + Bela Ha. They released one more album as the Twist, World, It’s No Miracle Baby! (Stono 89, cassette, 1989) before changing name to the Cosmic Gardeners. I haven’t heard it, but I can make a pretty accurate guess what it sounds like. GRADE: C+.
See also Cosmic Gardeners

Twyster (Germany): Zipper Jaws (Suya, CD, 1997)
Rock/Metal
Kordula Hardwardt (lead vocals)
The short, wordless, acapella introduction is neoclassical, but it’s completely untypical of Twyster’s style. This is straightforward, unpretentious, stripped-down hard rock with catchy, anthemic choruses: neither original nor distinctive but thoroughly enjoyable.

GRADE: C+.
Twyster (Germany): Eclypse Of The Iris (Suya, CD, 1999)
Rock/Metal
Kordula Hardwardt (lead vocals)
The band’s second album contains only seven songs, of which only four are new; the remainder are reworked or live versions of numbers from Zipper Jaws. However, this is still a step forward: the tempos are slower, the guitars are heavier and the mood is darker, creating a more mature album. GRADE: C+.
Twyster (Germany): Lunatic Siren (Massacre MAS CD0300, CD, 2002)
Metal
Kordula Hardwardt (lead vocals)
The band’s major label debut is heavier still and includes remakes of two old songs (including their third stab at ‘The Cloven Hoof’), though everything else is new. Over the course of a lengthier album, the band’s lack of variety becomes clear, though they’re good at what they do and their radical reinvention of A-ha’s ‘The Sun Always Shines On TV’ is an amusing diversion. GRADE: C+.

Twyster (Germany): Xplode (Massacre MAS CD0380, CD, 2005)
Metal
Kordula Hardwardt (lead vocals)
Their fourth and final album is also their most mature, with a standard of songwriting and performance that outclasses their earlier work. This isn’t the most varied LP, despite the presence of an effective ballad, but it has strong hooks, powerful riffs and plenty of poise and swagger. GRADE: C+.

Tyll (West Germany): Sexphonie (Kerston 65025, 1975)
Progressive/Psychedelic/Rock
Ulrike Schempp (occasional vocals), Susanne Schempp (occasional vocals)
This obscure Krautrock band was mainly the vehicle of guitarist Det Fonfara, who composes the bulk of the material. Most cuts are shortish guitar-led instrumentals, several of which appear to be jams, demonstrating a variety of rock techniques. There are also a number of songs, which are fairly melodic and conventional, and again with prominent guitar work. With psychedelic and space-rock edges for the most part, the album sometimes resembles Ash Ra Tempel at their most rocking. It is an interesting and worthwhile release, although the short compositions make it feel a little insubstantial and fragmentary. GRADE: B–.

January Tyme (USA): First Time From Memphis (Enterprise ENS 1004, 1970)
Rock/Psychedelic
January Tyme (lead vocals, keyboards, percussion)
The ‘Memphis’ reference in the title might imply deep soul or similar, but Ms Tyme’s favourite band was clearly Jefferson Airplane. Virtually all the songs are uptempo rockers owing a heavy debt to ‘Somebody To Love’, fronted by very Grace Slick-like vocals and decidedly Jorma Kaukonen-esque guitar work. Unsurprisingly, it’s not a very original or varied album, and nor is there a great deal of depth to the artistry, but it’s thoroughly enjoyable and should satisfy anyone with a penchant for the more rocking side of the Airplane. GRADE: C+.