Classical Thing! Sagittarius - Present Tense (1968) Flac

Although it only reached number 70 in the national charts, Sagittarius' 1967 single "My World Fell Down" is one of the great experimental psychedelic pop gems of the era. Sounding very much like a lost Beach Boys classic from the "Good Vibrations"/SMiLE era, the record had beautiful California pop harmonies, exquisite symphonic orchestration, and a downright avant-garde middle section of carnival and bullfight noises. It was perhaps too weird to become the Top 40 smash it deserved to be, but in any case, Sagittarius would have had a difficult time launching a successful career, as the group didn't really exist. It was a studio project of noted producer Gary Usher, who wrote several great Beach Boys songs with Brian Wilson and produced classic albums by the Byrds.

Usher made the recordings that came out under the Sagittarius name in his spare time, with help from such prominent friends as Beach Boy Bruce Johnston and Glen Campbell (who sings lead on the "My World Fell Down" single). The most important of Usher's associates, however, was fellow songwriter/producer/singer Curt Boettcher, who has a cult following of his own for the sunshiny California pop with a touch of psychedelia that he produced during the era, especially as part of the Millennium. Boettcher wrote and sang much of the material that ended up on Sagittarius' 1968 Columbia album, Present Tense. Unlike the "My World Fell Down" single (included on the LP in a brutally edited version), the album wasn't reminiscent of the Beach Boys at their best and most progressive. It was California good-time pop with a mild dab of psychedelia, relentlessly and sometimes annoyingly cheerful, although immaculately crafted and produced, particularly in the layered harmony vocals. Not as commercial as the Association (with whom Boettcher also worked), it still had a lot more in common with the Turtles and the Mamas & the Papas than Pet Sounds or the Byrds. Although it only sold in the neighborhood of 40,000 to 50,000 copies, the record has a cult following, and has been reissued several times, usually with numerous bonus tracks.allmusic.com

I'm a big Curt Boettcher fan and i think all of you knows that meanwhile. So it is a natural thing that i post the classical ''Present Tense'' here. Great songs and a lot of top notch musicians here. I have also the follow up album ''The Blue Marble'' if anyone is interested.
Cheers
           Frank
Flac

Gigolo Aunts - The Pride Of Potsdam: 20 Years Of Sonic Splendor (Compilation '06)

Taking their name from the Syd Barrett song, the effervescent power-pop unit Gigolo Aunts first came together in 1981 in Potsdam, New York as Sniper. The group -- comprised of vocalist/guitarist Dave Gibbs, brothers Phil and Steve Hurley (on lead guitar and bass, respectively) and drummer Phil Brouwer -- went through a series of subsequent names like Marauder and Rosetta Stone before settling on Gigolo Aunts (a suggestion from Gibbs' father) and moving to Boston in 1986.

In 1988, the band issued its debut Everybody Happy to little notice, and receded from view until Gibbs began playing guitar with fellow East Coast popsters Velvet Crush, whom he joined for a U.K. tour. While overseas, Gibbs made a number of crucial contacts with the likes of Creation Records' Alan McGee and the members of Teenage Fanclub, and interest in the Gigolo Aunts began to build. A series of assured EPs -- Gigolo Aunts, Gun and Full-On Bloom -- appeared to strong reviews, as did 1994's full-length Flippin' Out. After Gibbs and Phil Hurley turned down offers to join the reunited Big Star, they issued the 1995 EP Where I Find My Heaven; shortly after its release, Phil Hurley was replaced by Jon Skibic and Brouwer was replaced by Fred Eltringham. ''Minor Chords and Major Themes'' appeared in 1999.

This is a wonderful compilation of the band and a fine Jangle/Power pop record. Now stand up, pump up the volume, take your Rickenbacker out of the case or the air and play on with the band :-).

Cheers
          SB1
mp3@320

The Lovin' Spoonful 5/5 - Revelation Revolution (1969) Flac

The band is billed here as "the Lovin' Spoonful Featuring Joe Butler." Just when everybody had written them off after Sebastian's departure, this flawed gem came out of left field. Butler's smooth voice had graced a few tracks on all of the past LPs, in addition to having a few of his own tunes included. He comes into his own here, but unfortunately, his three originals are the weakest songs on the LP, especially the ultra-hip sound collage "War Games.

" However, the great pop team of Bonner and Gordon came up with three strong tunes, including the hit "Me About You" (previously done by The Turtles) and the fine "(Till I) Run with You" (the title of the LP as written on the label), with John Stewart supplying the best track, the gorgeous "Never Going Back."




Okay, here is the last of the five records from the ''Spoonful'' box.
                                                                     Kind regards           
                                                                           SB1
                                                      Flac

Flying Color - Flying Color (1987) Flac

In the wake of the Rickenbacker revolution started by R.E.M., Flying Color formed in San Francisco in 1984 when bassist Hector Penalosa, from the Southern California cult band the Zeros, hooked up with guitarist Dale Duncan from the San Francisco underground band Love Circus and guitarist Richard Chase and drummer John Stuart. The band released one single in 1985, "Dear Friend," followed by the album Flying Color in 1987. Upon the album's release, Chase left the fold and guitarist Chris von Sneidern joined the band. There was no mistaking Flying Color's jangle and harmonies as Beatles influenced -- they even wore the requisite mod clothes -- but at a time when the college charts were dominated by English synthesizer bands, Flying Color's clean, harmonious pop sounded amazingly fresh (and years after its release, it still does). The band broke up in 1990; all members continued to perform solo or with other groups, to varying degrees of success. In 1996, Duncan, Stuart and von Sneidern reformed and began recording again, just around the time Flying Color was issued on CD for the first time.allmusic.com

Wonderful album, great musicians. Three cheers for Flying Color!

SB1
Flac