RICHARD FALK's REVIEWS
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Wilcox Sullivan Wilcox (USA): An Album Of Original Music (Goldust LPS-163, 1973)
Singer/Songwriter/Folk/Country/Psychedelic
Judy Wilcox (occasional vocals, guitar)
I’ve seen this rare private pressing described as psychedelia, but for the most part it’s rooted in singer/songwriter music, with excellent harmony vocals and sparse backing from acoustic, electric and steel guitars, bass and occasionally piano and violin. Drawing on both folk and country music, it has a quintessentially seventies rural sound and should please fans of mid-period Loudest Whisper and bands like Riverson. There’s also plenty for folk/psych fans to enjoy, with a haunting, sepulchral atmosphere and occasional acid leads, notably on the sublime eight-minute closer ‘It’s All The Same’. GRADE: C+.
Wild Angels, Sassy Ones & Renaissance (USA): The Wild Angels (Frog DR 1029, 1999, recorded 1966-1967)
Pop/Garage/Psychedelic
Vivian Pema (joint lead vocals), Lydia Noboa (joint lead vocals), Sandra Morales (drums, tambourine, backing vocals), Pat Mulhall (backing vocals)
This unusual and interesting release charts the development of garage girl group the Wild Angels through their transformation into the Sassy Ones and finally the acid-rock band Renaissance. With recordings taken from fairly scratchy acetates of unreleased sessions, it features ten short songs, including four versions of ‘About You’, three of ‘Don’t Ever Say No’ and two of ‘Sweetness’; ‘Lonely Evening Blues’ is the only song to appear just once. As that commentary suggests – and the 24-minute running time confirms – their oeuvre wasn’t particularly substantial, but this is a fine and historically important LP nonetheless: the garage stuff is charming and evocative and the two psychedelic numbers at the end are trippier than a lot of stuff that actually gained release at the time. GRADE: C+.
Wild Blue Yonder (USA): Blue Print (Totallyoutofcontrol Record Company K-2504, 1978)
Jazz/Rock
Judy Bixler (joint lead vocals, piano)
So laid-back it’s almost supine, this is a breezy mixture of West Coast rock and fusion, hinting at how a band like the Grateful Dead could have sounded had they formed ten years later. The record never gets even moderately heavy and it’s a million miles from the cutting edge, but they’re excellent songwriters and musicians, and the disc creates a lovely, organic flow. GRADE: C+.
Wild Honey (USA): Wild Honey (Illusion CM-2011, 1977)
Pop/Rock/Funk
Carol Moore (joint lead vocals)
Issued on a notorious tax scam label, this is a mixture of pop, rock, Manhattan Transfer-style nostalgia and jazz/funk grooves, with the near-instrumental at the end of side one probably being the best thing on offer. Whilst it’s an uneven LP, the musicianship is excellent throughout and there are some good cuts here. Bassist David Robert Robbins had previously been a member of Fantasy; according to the liner notes, Carol Moore had also joined the band at some point (possibly replacing Lydia Miller late in their career?). GRADE: C.
Wild Oats (UK): Wild Oats (Westwood WSR032, 1973)
Folk
Viva Smith (lead vocals, guitar)
With its contemporary US-influenced style, this is somewhat similar to Folkal Point, but whereas Folkal Point focused on the more ethereal end of the spectrum Wild Oats are earthier, and include a number of hoedowns. Nonetheless, there are still a few lovely introspective moments, and anyone who loves Folkal Point should like this (at least in part). GRADE: C+.
Wild Oats (UK): Agincourt (Sweet Folk & Country SFA 015, 1975)
Folk
Viva Smith
It seems unfair to describe one band’s music almost entirely via comparison to another’s, but again this strongly reminds me of Folkal Point. Viva Smith’s clear diction is a huge plus, and the intricate acoustic backing is highly effective, but whereas all the stars seemed to align for Folkal Point in terms of song selection and arrangement, Wild Oats are consistently good rather than consistently great. GRADE: C+.
Wildcat (UK): Unofficial Action (Wildcat WC1, with insert, 1981)
Rock
Terry Neason (joint lead vocals), Angie Rew (occasional vocals, keyboards)
No prizes for guessing from the band name and album title that this is left-wing musical theatre; the big surprise is that Bread, Love & Dreams’ David McNiven and Angie Rew were members of the band. This is decidedly above-average for the genre, notwithstanding a ‘humorous’ nod towards opera that must have seemed funny at the time, offering a mixture of vaguely progressive-edged blues/rockers and mildly symphonic ballads. The presence of a superb female singer, in the shape of Terry Neason, helps, as do the lyrics, which avoid lecturing and preaching in the manner of the otherwise similar Belt & Braces Roadshow Band; however, Angie Rew is strangely underused. GRADE: C+.
See also Bread, Love & Dreams
Wildebeest (South Africa): Bushrock 1 (RAP SRLP C010, 1981)
Folk/Rock/Psychedelic
Karlien van Niekerk (principal vocals)
This is one of the rarest and most sought-after South African LPs, allegedly pressed in a run of 300 copies. Unlike most psychedelic folk/rock bands, Wildebeest often sound like a psychedelic outfit experimenting with folky material rather than folkies turned electric, and their music unsurprisingly contains quite a few tribal influences. The disc is notable for its powerful electric guitar and electric violin work, and for Karlien van Niekerk’s distinctive vocals, which occasionally resemble Renate Knaup-Krötenschwanz in her upper register; it is surprisingly well recorded for a low-budget live set. Three of the band’s male members went on to record a further 12" EP; this featured four songs and was issued in 1983. GRADE: B.
Wildebeest (USA): Reckless Dreams (Gnu Productions, 10", with insert, 1981)
Rock
Mecca Burns (principal vocals, organ, harmonica)
This Californian band offer rootsy rock with soulful and bluesy edges on their five-track mini-album; their music is mildly interesting, but it’s also highly derivative and a touch amateurish. As a footnote, Jerry Garcia alumnus John Kahn produced and played some synthesiser. As a second footnote, the band was obviously unconnected with the South African Wildebeest, though this didn’t stop one record dealer from claiming that this was their second release, hilariously noting that they must have moved to America, changed their musical style and replaced all their members. GRADE: C.
Wildeve (Germany): Touch And Go (WMMS 111, CD, 1996)
Singer/Songwriter
Lili Plieninger (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards)
Although Wildeve was a band and WMMS was associated with releasing progressive rock, this is basically a singer/songwriter set showcasing the talents of one Lili Plieninger. She is an excellent composer, hinting towards Tori Amos in her style, and the band provides strong and occasionally quite heavy rock backing, with the slightly amateurish feel giving this a rather different mood from most albums in the genre. GRADE: C+.
Wildflower (UK): Make The Trees Grow, Make The Wind Blow (Wildwood WW-101, 12", with insert, 1992?)
Pop/Dance/Psychedelic
Azhaar Elsaffar (principal vocals, violin), Tamlyn Winchester (bass)
So far as I’m aware, this four-track 12" EP was this Brighton band’s only release, although they had songs on a couple of local compilations. The music is very much of its era, being danceable pop-edged ethnic-tinged psychedelia with lots of trendy references, including cod-reggae rhythms and even some rapping. GRADE: C+.
Colin Wilkie & Shirley Hart (UK): Morning (Pläne S 88 107, West Germany, 1972)
Folk
Shirley Hart (principal vocals)
This veteran folk duo apparently cut more than two dozen albums from the mid-sixties onwards; several, like this, were recorded and released only in Germany, where they were extremely popular. With partly electric backing, the material tends to be simultaneously too jolly and earnest, reflecting their roots in the sixties folk boom tradition; the problem is best indicated by ‘Icy Acres’, which sounds inconsequential here, but was revealed as a song of chilling brilliance when covered by Gallery the following year. More irritatingly, they’re clearly capable of brilliance as performers as well as writers, as demonstrated by the superb ‘Willow And Rue’ and ‘Portland Town’.
GRADE: C.
Colin Wilkie & Shirley Hart (UK): I Know Where I’m Going (Da Camera Song SM 95039, West Germany, 1973)
Folk
Shirley Hart (lead vocals)
Unlike its predecessor, this has simple acoustic arrangements, with Wilkie playing all the instruments. Overall, it’s a pleasant and competent traditional folk album, lacking both the high and low points of the previous LP. Hart should not, however, have attempted to sing a couple of numbers in a mock-Cockney accent – she’s about as convincing as Dick Van Dyke. GRADE: C.
Dave Willey & Friends (USA): Immeasurable Currents (Altrock ALT-021, CD, Italy, 2011)
Jazz/Rock/Avant-Garde
Deborah Perry (principal vocals, percussion), Elaine Di Falco (occasional vocals, piano)
This offshoot venture by Thinking Plague bassist Dave Willey is very much a showcase for his songwriting and multi-instrumental talents, offering twelve intriguing short vignettes. His Thinking Plague colleague Deborah Perry joins him on most songs, sounding far more palatable here as the material doesn’t require her to sing off-key; other collaborators include Elaine Di Falco (with whom he worked in 3 Mice, Ligeia Mare and Iridule), Hugh Hopper, Mike Johnson and Dave Kerman. With songs ranging from Art Bears-like RIO to haunting ballads, it’s a varied and enjoyable set, but never very substantial or significant. GRADE: C+.
See also 3 Mice, Caveman Shoestore, Combat Astronomy, Empty Days, Dave Kerman & 5uus, Ligeia Mare, Luciano Margorani & Elaine Di Falco, Thinking Plague
William Saint James (USA): A Song For Every Mood (ABC/Dunhill DSX 50148, 1973)
Folk/Rock
Annie Willcocks (joint lead vocals)
Whilst the name suggests a soloist, this was a trio of two men and a woman, with the men writing the songs and playing the guitars. Musically it’s singer/songwriter folk/rock, with mainly acoustic arrangements, spacious harmonies and an overall feel that sometimes recalls Riverson (though the songwriting is nowhere near as good). Backing musicians include Arnie Lawrence, Rick Marotta and Eric Weissberg, and the album was produced by Terry Cashman and Tommy West. GRADE: C+.
Jill Williams (USA): Jill Williams (RCA LSP 4314, 1970)
Singer/Songwriter
This obscure singer/songwriter soft rock effort is pleasant enough, but it’s not hard to see why the album didn’t break through to commercial success – there isn’t a ‘Brand New Key’, let alone a ‘Both Sides Now’, on offer here. Williams apparently went on to become the first woman to write and compose a Broadway musical, Rainbow Jones, in 1974. GRADE: C.
Harry Williamson & Friends (UK): Life In The World Unseen (Voiceprint VP232CD, CD, 2000)
Progressive
Bee Williamson (occasional vocals), Polly Christie (occasional vocals), Gilli Smyth (occasional vocals), Liz Van Dort (occasional vocals), Louisa Kroll (occasional vocals)
Showcasing his talents as a multi-instrumentalist (principally on the ‘angel guitar’, a sort of electric guitar/harp hybrid) Harry Williamson’s solo album offers mainly instrumental progressive rock with strong folky edges and lots of new age and world music references. Mike Oldfield fans will adore it, as he creates some lovely mellow moods; the only downside is that it occasionally feels a little scrappy as he throws in old material from as early as 1979, including an excerpt of Mother Gong from 1988. GRADE: B–.
See also Acid Mothers Gong, Orlando Allen, Glo, Goddess Trance, Gong, Gong Matrices, Invisible Opera Company Of Tibet, Mother Gong, Gilli Smyth
Willow Child (Germany): Trip Down Memory Lane EP (Red Audio, CD, with digipak, 2017)
Rock/Metal
Eva Kohl (lead vocals, guitar)
According to the group’s Bandcamp page, they ‘firstly covered old classics from Led Zeppelin [and] Deep Purple’ – and it shows. This is early seventies-style hard rock, with a great period atmosphere; the actual songs are good rather than great, but they’re decent enough for this to represent a promising and satisfying debut. GRADE: C+.
Willow Child (Germany): Paradise And Nadir (Stonefree, CD, with digipak, 2018)
Rock/Metal
Eva Kohl (lead vocals, guitar)
Their album proper is simultaneously a strong step forward from the EP whilst not fully realising the potential at which it hinted. They’re certainly very good at what they do – this is first-rate seventies-influenced hard work, with excellent vocals and Hammond organ and an outstanding recording; there’s no doubt that they soar and jam in all the right places. The problem is that they still feel faintly generic, which could be down to either their sound or their songs. GRADE: C+.
Willow Pattern (UK): Willow Pattern (Decca Nova SDN 18, unreleased test pressing, 1970)
Folk
I have heard seven of the 12 tracks from this unreleased album, which has resurfaced on the collectors’ market a couple of times as a sleeveless test pressing with pink and blue levels. It’s mellow and pleasant folk, seemingly with partly original material, and bears a strong resemblance to a less orchestrated Tudor Lodge (though the singing style is more formal). As such, it’s a pleasant period piece, though nobody has yet identified who cut it or why it remained unreleased. GRADE: C+.
Mick Wills (UK): Fern Hill (Woronzow WOO 9, 1988)
Folk/Blues/Jazz/Psychedelic
Jenny Brown (lead vocals)
Showcasing the talents of gifted acoustic guitarist Mick Wills, this ranges from solo pieces through jazzy jams and mildly psychedelic numbers to three actual songs fronted by Jenny Brown. The best is the long, tripped-out closer ‘She Looked Down’, but the whole LP is surprisingly cohesive given its unusual mix of influences. GRADE: C+.
Ann Wilson (USA): Hope And Glory (Zoë 01143 1085-2, CD, 2007)
Rock
Ann Wilson (lead vocals)
An Ann Wilson solo album almost exclusively comprising cover versions and featuring guests like Elton John, KD Lang, Wynonna Judd, Alison Krauss, Rufus Wainwright and Shawn Colvin sounds like a recipe for disaster. It isn’t: the arrangements are mostly lush and atmospheric, and the opening take on Pink Floyd’s ‘Goodbye Blue Sky’ beats the original hands down. The same can’t be said for ‘Immigrant Song’, but her version is at least interesting and radical (unlike, say, Lana Lane’s note-for-note reworking of ‘Kashmir’). GRADE: C+.
Ann Wilson (USA): The Ann Wilson Thing! #1 (Rounder 1161-38212-02, CD, with gatefold minisleeve, 2015)
Rock
Ann Wilson (lead vocals)
This 17-minute, four-track EP is a marginal case for inclusion, but it’s also one of the best things Ann Wilson has done for years. She sounds revitalised here in a way she hasn’t managed in the studio for decades, and all the songs – covers of ‘For What It’s Worth’, ‘Ain’t No Way’ and ‘Danger Zone’ plus a token original – are excellent, with a bluesier and more alternative feel than her work with Heart. GRADE: C+.
Ann Wilson (USA): Live At The Belly Up (Belly Up, download, 2016)
Rock
Wilson’s live album consists entirely of covers and offers a broad range of moods and textures. Overall she sounds relaxed and comfortable away from her former band, and this is an enjoyable live document with decent sound quality (despite only being released as 320k MP3s). GRADE: C+.
Ann Wilson (USA): Immortal (BMG 538415442, CD, with digipak, 2018)
Rock
Ann Wilson (lead vocals)
Like her first, Wilson’s second solo album consists entirely of cover versions. It reunites her with original Heart producer Mike Flicker and with various musicians who played in later line-ups of the band, resulting in a classy and varied set. She tackles numbers by everyone from Cream to George Michael to Amy Winehouse, mostly with aplomb. Unfortunately, she also closes the disc with a bizarre high-tech version of Gerry Rafferty’s ‘Baker Street’ that completely drops the song’s trademark saxophone riff – what the hell was she thinking? GRADE: C+.
See also Heart, Lovemongers, Nancy & Ann Wilson
Nancy Wilson (USA): Live At McCabes Guitar Shop (Epic EK 69837, CD, 1999)
Folk
Nancy Wilson (lead vocals, guitar)
Nancy Wilson’s solo debut was compiled from two live acoustic gigs, with the only accompaniment being her own guitar (plus occasional contributions from two backing singers, including Astrid Young of Sacred Child). The set mostly comprises exclusive originals, plus a few covers and Heart classics, and the results are mellow and enjoyable, if inevitably not very varied. GRADE: C+.
Nancy Wilson (USA): Score From The Motion Picture ‘Vanilla Sky’ (GKS Entertainment, CDR, 2001)
Folk/Rock
Wilson’s soundtrack for husband Cameron Crowe’s film opens with a song followed by a series of instrumental vignettes: mostly played on guitar (some with the addition of drums and sound effects) but occasionally on piano; one number even sounds like it has a little Mellotron. Overall, it’s more varied than you might expect, and very well recorded, adding up to a charming (if brief) set. The soundtrack was never officially released, and was only produced as a limited run CDR to support the film’s Oscar nomination; whist the Discogs listing shows a front cover, neither of the copies openly sold have featured this.
GRADE: C+.
Nancy Wilson (USA): Elizabethtown (RCA Victor 82876 73692-2, CD, with digipak, 2005)
Folk/Progressive
This film soundtrack is entirely instrumental, largely consisting of short pieces scored for acoustic guitars, keyboards and occasional percussion and harmonica. Gentle, relaxed and melodic, it provides a nice counterpoint to Wilson’s ‘day job’ in Heart. GRADE: C+.
Nancy Wilson (USA): Baby Guitars (No label, CD, 2009)
Folk
Nancy Wilson (guitar)
The rather odd title is explained by the legend on the front cover: this is a collection of ‘acoustic instrumentals for babies to fall asleep to’. Although credited as a Wilson solo album, everything was co-composed with Heart colleague Craig Bartock and played as a duet between them, with Heart keyboardist Debbie Shair contributing occasional harp. The best cut by far is the closing ‘How Many Stars?’, which has uncredited contributions on tuned percussion and flute. Whether babies would enjoy this, I have no idea, but to my adult ears Baby Guitars is a pleasant enough collection of gentle, folky pieces. GRADE: C+.
See also Heart, Lovemongers, Roadcase Royale, Nancy & Ann Wilson
Nancy & Ann Wilson (USA): Live In Idaho, Boise State University 1993 (Klondike KLCD5066, CD, 2017, recorded 1993)
Folk/Rock
This grey-market CD features a 1993 radio broadcast by Nancy & Ann Wilson, performing in semi-acoustic mode around the time of Heart’s Desire Walks On. Backed by unknown musicians, they offer a short set mixing material from that album, older Heart numbers and a cover of ‘The Battle Of Evermore’. The result is an enjoyable performance with a far higher level of sensitivity than the Heart of the era; this acoustic approach may have led to Heart’s The Road Home album. GRADE: B–.
See also Heart, Lovemongers, Roadcase Royale, Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson
Winchester (West Germany): Looking Back At Marburg County (Blitz Music W13630, 1977)
Country/Rock
Natalie Shelar
Two years previously, the band had contributed a dreadful country hoedown to the multi-artist compilation Rock Offers (under the guise of ‘Winchester’ 75’), which didn’t fill me with confidence for their album. But whilst a few tracks are in the same vein, the better numbers are mellow, atmospheric rural rock recalling Wooden Horse’s second album. On a couple of songs, they even add swirling synthesisers to lend a faint Krautrock vibe, and overall there’s enough decent stuff here to make this an enjoyable LP. GRADE: C+.
See also Various ‘Rock Offers'
Wind In The Willows (USA): The Wind In The Willows (Capitol SKAO 2956, 1968)
Folk/Pop
Debbie Harry (occasional vocals, percussion, tamboura), Ida Andrews (occasional vocals, chimes, flute, bassoon, piccolo)
This obscure outfit is best remembered for including a very young Debbie Harry (back in the days when she was a brunette, not a blondie). The style is folk/pop, ranging from the trippy and psychedelic (‘There Is But One Truth, Daddy’ and ‘Wheel Of Changes’) to jaunty upbeat stuff. It’s all fairly inconsequential, and several tracks are rather weak, but there’s enough good stuff to make it appeal to period pop fans as well as Blondie completists. GRADE: C.
See also Jazz Passengers
Windhand (USA): Windhand (Forcefield FFR029, CD, 2012)
Metal
Dorthia Cottrell (lead vocals)
Whilst this doom metal album isn’t very varied in either its approach or instrumentation (voice, dual electric guitars, bass and drums) it’s hard to beat for its grandeur and bone-crushing heaviness. The twelve-minute closer ‘Winter Sun’ is the real classic, but this is a superb example of its genre throughout, moving beyond Black Sabbath into some of the most majestic yet bleak realms imaginable. GRADE: B.
Windhand (USA): Soma (Relapse RR7236, CD, with digipak and obi, 2013)
Metal/Progressive
Dorthia Cottrell (lead vocals)
Proving they’re not one-trick ponies with the beautiful, almost psychedelic, ballad ‘Evergreen’, Windhand return with an even better album. Given their rather minimalist approach, it’s hard to see where they could go from here, but it’s also pretty difficult to see how this album could be improved. GRADE: B.
Cough & Windhand (USA): Reflection Of The Negative (Relapse RR7129, CD, with digipak, 2013)
Metal
Dorthia Cottrell (lead vocals)
This is a split release with the interconnected Cough, with Cough contributing a single song (‘Athame’) lasting 18½ minutes and Windhand the 7½-minute ‘Amaranth’ and the eleven-minute ‘Shepherd’s Crook’. Both bands offer some wonderfully heavy and sludgy doom metal; the Cough song slightly outstays its welcome but otherwise this is wonderful stuff. GRADE: B–.
Windhand (USA): Live At Roadburn 2014 (Roadburn RBR037, red vinyl, 2014)
Metal
Dorthia Cottrell (lead vocals)
There’s no ‘Evergreen’ on their live album, and indeed no variety of any kind, but I love the minimalism, sense of purpose and sheer heaviness of their distinctive sound. GRADE: B–.
Windhand (USA): Grief’s Infernal Flower (Relapse RR 7309, CD, with digipak and obi, 2015)
Metal
Dorthia Cottrell (lead vocals, guitar)
The quotes on the obi describe this as ‘a doomsayer’s dream… full of epic opuses and extra heavy riffs’ and ‘mountainous, fuzzed-the-fuck-out Sabbath-y psych-doom’, and for once there’s not much to argue with. However, it’s also unarguable that this isn’t the huge step forward that Reflection Of The Negative represented, and taken on its own terms this isn’t that album’s equal either. GRADE: B–.
Windhand (USA): Live Elsewhere (Creep Purple CPR-013, double, some on purple vinyl, Lithuania, 2019)
Metal/Progressive
Dorthia Cottrell (lead vocals)
Whilst I’m fond of Windhand’s distinctive brand of sludgy doom – all fuzzed bass, gruff chords and Dorthia Cottrell’s odd, androgynous singing – this lengthy live album makes the lack of variety in their catalogue obvious. Indeed, it’s hard to tell where one song ends and another begins, which could be an issue for many listeners – even those who like their music as much as I do. GRADE: B–.
Windopane (USA): See? (OR 003, CD, 1994)
Psychedelic
Beki Brindle-DeMyer (lead vocals, guitar)
Quite different from Beki Brindle-DeMyer’s previous band Grace Pool, this offers six high-octane psychedelic jams plus one lovely acoustic song. Dynamic, energetic and powerful, it’s excellent stuff that could also appeal to fans of instrumental metal (and in particular bands like Kong). GRADE: B–.
Windopane (USA): Lucky Catatonia (Open 111, CD, 1995)
Garage/Psychedelic/Metal/Country
Beki Brindle-DeMyer (lead vocals, guitar, bass)
Their quite different second and final album is even better: this has the same incendiary guitar work as See? but deployed on eight songs and one long instrumental. They’re mostly great songs too – powerful, dynamic and melodic, and the whole thing makes one wonder why Brindle-DeMyer didn’t continue her career in music. GRADE: B–.
See also Grace Pool
Winged Stallion (USA): Journey’s Long (No label, with insert, 1984)
Rock
Lena Hallidae (joint lead vocals), Cheryl Davidson (joint lead vocals), Bernadetta Dalbesio (flute), Barbara M Graham (French horn)
I’ve seen this described as progressive rock and compared to Jefferson Airplane, but with its tandem male and female vocals, relaxed hippie-rock backing and occasional country tinges it’s more similar to It’s A Beautiful Day (blending elements of Marrying Maiden and Choice Quality Stuff/Anytime). Whilst none of the material is brilliant, this has a pleasing organic flow – and it’s remarkable in itself that anyone was releasing music like this at all in the mid-eighties. GRADE: C+.
Wings (USA): Wings (Dunhill DS 50046, 1968)
Pop
Pam Robbins (joint lead vocals)
The sleeve credits only the three lead vocalists (merely using their first names), but the album was produced by Steve Barri and orchestrated by the ubiquitous Jimmie Haskell. It therefore comes as no surprise that this is quality period pop with harmony vocals and an occasional psychedelic tinge to the guitar work. All the songs are self-penned, which was uncommon for the genre in this era. Band leader Oz Bach had earlier been in Spanky & Our Gang, and went on to form Tarantula; he is said to have made some money by selling the name ‘Wings’ to Paul McCartney a few years later. Jefferson Airplane’s original drummer Jerry Peloquin was also a member. GRADE: C.
Norma Winstone (UK): Edge Of Time (Argo ZDA 148, 1972)
Jazz
Norma Winstone (lead vocals)
It may be credited as a solo album, but this fine modern jazz set is very much an ensemble work, with plenty of space given to the musicians (and the horn players in particular). In fact, much of the LP is instrumental, although Winstone contributes lead vocals to every cut and co-writes most songs. GRADE: B–.
See also Azimuth, Michael Garrick Sextet With Norma Winstone, Mike Westbrook's Metropolis
Warren Winters’ Band (USA): As I Was (Shovster 84-116458, 1984)
Rock
Josephine Rossomando (occasional vocals)
The front cover made me expect Southern rock, or maybe something like Obelisk’s Conspiracy To Commit Music – at least until I noticed that Winters was holding an acoustic rather than an electric guitar. In fact, this is folkish rock and light rock: loungy, low-budget and slightly weird, with a very distinctive atmosphere. It even ends with an atmospheric, mildly psychedelic number, ‘When You Were Mine’, sung by Josephine Rossomando. Short and somewhat inconsequential, this is nonetheless an unusual piece of work that doesn’t really sound like anything else. GRADE: C+.
Winterspring (USA): Winterspring (Damon D-12903, 1970)
Lounge/Psychedelic
Packaged in a hand-stamped and silk-screened cover giving no information whatever about the band, this is one of the rarer and more expensive American private pressings. Musically, it’s an odd beast: essentially lounge music but with a trippy edge (notably on the closing cover of ‘Suzanne’), slightly jazzy tinges, a manic drummer and lots and lots of cheesy organ. The end results aren’t brilliant, but they’re quirky enough to be interesting. GRADE: C+.
Wir (East Germany): Wir (Amiga 8 55 551, 1977)
Pop/Rock/Progressive
Doris Martin (joint lead vocals, percussion)
Blending seventies pop (sometimes tending towards bubblegum), hard rock guitar work and influences from prog and psych, this East German band had a rather odd style. The best cut here is the heavier ‘Trinklied’, with some excellent lead guitar and lots of studio effects, but at least half the LP is quite listenable. A variant version was issued in Czechoslovakia the following year (Supraphon 1 13 2264 H); this dropped two tracks, added four cuts from singles and substituted a new sleeve. GRADE: C+.
Wir (East Germany): Zeit (Amiga 8 55 596, 1978)
Pop/Rock/Progressive
Doris Martin (percussion, backing vocals)
Their second album is both better and worse than their first: side one has softer ballads and light rockers, but side two features the fifteen-minute title track. Whilst this is partly a lengthy drum solo, it’s also quite an interesting and minimalist piece, and very different from anything else the band ever did. The closing eight-and-a-half minute ‘Nach Dem Konzert’ also features some powerful lead guitar work, so whilst not brilliant this does have its moments. GRADE: C+.
Wishing Tree (UK): Carnival Of Souls (Dorian Music DM WT 001, CD, 1996)
Rock/Progressive
Hannah Stobart (lead vocals)
This band was formed by Steve Rothery and Pete Trewavas of Marillion, but for better or worse it sounds nothing like the parent group. Instead it’s a mixture of acoustic folk and melodic rock – nicely crafted and less twee than the artwork suggests (despite Hannah Stobart’s girlish vocals) but lacking in the great songwriting needed to make it memorable. I’ve seen it compared to All About Eve and it’s definitely operating in the same area, though without All Above Eve’s psychedelic and mystical edges. GRADE: C+.
Wishing Tree (UK): Ostara (E•A•R Music 0198062ERE, CD, with digipak and booklet, Germany, 2009)
Folk/Rock
Hannah Stobart (lead vocals)
Their belated second album is in the same vein as their first, whilst being a touch bluesier and decidedly closer to All About Eve. Stobart’s singing style is much less precious this time around and the arrangements are beautifully judged, resulting in a lovely and unassuming record. GRADE: C+.
Wishing Tree (USA): Empty Words (No label, download, 2020)
Rock
This spare, supple, beautifully recorded album uses just solo voice, electric guitar, bass and drums to create music that is hard rocking without being hard rock and mildly jazzy without being jazz/rock. It certainly isn’t shoegaze or psychedelia or conventional indie either, though fans of those styles could enjoy it. A good reference point might be Wussy, but this has much less prominent guitar work and faint jazzy edges rather than the rural-meets-Velvet Underground influence underpinning Wussy’s sound. On that basis Wussy might not be such a good reference point after all, but this is the kind of music that draws from everyone and everything without resembling anyone in particular.Ultimately it’s an intriguing little curio, though being just solo voice, electric guitar, bass and drums, it lacks the variety to take it to the next level. GRADE: C+.
Witch Ritual (Germany): Death Beyond (No label, CDR, with digipak, 2019)
Metal
Whilst they don’t bring much innovation to the doom metal genre, this is a fine album by any means, with a nice, spacy sound and lots of seventies references. The band had previously issued an EP, Rising Doom. GRADE: B–.
Witchdance Project (Germany): What Happens Now? (Bauer Studios CACD 8013-3, CD, 1992)
Rock
Momo Indihar (occasional vocals), Karin Neth (occasional vocals)
Despite the band name (this isn’t dance music, nor is it witchy in any way) and the marketing (this isn’t particularly progressive, notwithstanding a few extended numbers), this is actually polished melodic mainstream rock. It’s rather good polished melodic rock, too, with strong playing, singing, songwriting and production. In fact, it’s surprising that the band remained so obscure, as they were easily the equal of many major bands playing similar music around the same time. GRADE: C+.
Witchrot (Canada): Hollow (Fuzzed & Buzzed/Dark Hedonistic Union DHU/063 / FNB/011, some on coloured vinyl, with insert, poster and download card, 2021)
Metal
Lea Reto
‘Fuzzed & Buzzed’ indeed: these Canadian doom rockers have an impressive sound, with plenty of distortion and a few minor glam references. However, they don’t have very impressive material or a particularly impressive vocalist, so fellow Toronto denizens Blood Ceremony won’t be looking over their shoulders. GRADE: C+.
Wizards Of Firetop Mountain (Ireland): Wizards Of Firetop Mountain (Spliffen, with insert, 2015)
Rock/Metal
Karen Browett (bass)
No prizes for guessing from the band name that this is seventies-styled metal, though it’s hard rock rather than the expected Sabbathy doom. It’s enjoyable stuff, but with only five fairly short songs this is a somewhat tentative debut. It’s certainly luxuriously packaged, with a stunning spot-varnished black-on-black sleeve featuring an original illustration by the celebrated Celtic artist Jim Fitzpatrick. GRADE: C+.
