The Yellow Balloon - Yellow Balloon 1967 mp3 320

The Yellow Balloon was Don Grady's (Robbie on TV's My Three Sons) rock & roll group, but even more important, the brainchild of California producer Gary Zekley. Not unlike a Gary Usher, Zekley could grab a bunch of musicians and -- filling in the needed holes with his own talent -- produce sessions that rivaled Phil Spector or Brian Wilson for big sound and teen spirit. Grady had already been recording for the same label with his own group, the Windupwatch Band, when Zekley started climbing the charts with "Yellow Balloon," creating a need for a new group to go with the hit. Grady became the drummer and other members were recruited from various bands around the country, but in the studio, it was still Zekley's show all the way. This 20-track compilation brings together the 11 tracks from the Yellow Balloon's 1967 album, along with the Don Grady with the Windupwatch Band singles (also released on the same Canterbury label), a couple of unreleased demos, and an interview with the late Gary Zekley putting it all in perspective.

Classical sunhine pop album. The whole album is a gathering of  bubblegum songs with top notch production. If you love sunshine pop you can't escape this album. Good day sunshine...
Have fun
              Frank
mp3@32o

United Travel Service - Wind And Stone 1966 - 1970 marvelous psych pop

Dateline 1966 - the Pacific North West of the USA - a hotbed for numerous local and regional bands following the tradition of the renowned North West Fratrock of the Kingsmen or the uncompromising Rock & Roll of The Sonics and Wailers. Not so the United Travel Service. They were sadly overlooked at the time but are now revered for their two brilliant, killer folkadelic 45 releases 'Wind And Stone' b/w 'Drummer Of Your Mind' and 'Gypsy Eyes' b/w 'Echo Of You'. The UTS were mainly influenced by the San Francisco scene, Garage Rock and the Byrds. Their high quality repertoire written by guitarist Ben Hoff and produced by New Tweedy Brothers producer Rick Keefer would have made a classic local psychedelic album if released back then. But it was not to be.

Break-A-Way presents for the first time, a collection of the bands rare 45s, along with four more, until now unreleased studio recordings, plus five home demos, of which four were not part of the LP version. Additionally there is an excellent 2009 re-recording of an old track capturing again the old magic and authenticity of the group. The CD comes with a 12 page booklet including a detailed history of the band with photos from the members scrapbook. At last, here is the long overdue legacy of one of the Northwest's finest psychedelic bands.

This is released in 2010 and it's a collection of marvelous psychedelic pop songs. The sound quality varied because of different sources. Enjoy!
Regards
            Frank
mp3 320               

Radio Days - Midnight Cemetary Rendezvous ep (2008) Flac

This guys from Italy knows how to do great power pop. They never disappointed with any of her releases. This ep is an older one from 2008 and every song is fun on the highest level. This ep gets six stars from possible five! Enjoy!
Cheers
           Frank
Flac

The Resonars (Matt Rendon) - That Evil Drone 2008 Flac

The Resonars started out in 1992 as the brainchild of guitarist and chief songwriter Matt Rendon of Tucson, Arizona. Rendon, in fact, had adopted the "group" name as a tribute to a '60s Tucson band of the same name, which had featured his older brother, John Rendon. Rendon's four-track recordings -- made at his own Coma Cave home studio -- were a blend of moody, introspective psychedelic pop, folk-rock harmonies, and garage rock. Rendon continued to record on his own, and in 1998, released the first Resonars album, on which he had four-tracked himself on all instruments and vocals. This cassette-only release was issued on the Tucson-based Star Time Records (not to be confused with StarTime International Records of Brooklyn). After a lengthy period, Rendon added additional musicians -- guitarist Eric Royer, drummer Dustin "OJ" Moyer, and bassist Mick Huxley (later bassist Forest Dunn) -- to his Resonars' lineup for live shows and for additional recordings. Two 7" singles and numerous homemade cassette releases (including Tripping in Your Coffin) were made available to fans at their shows. Their second album, the critically acclaimed Bright & Dark, was issued by Get Hip in 1999, with Rendon again playing all of the instruments himself.

Rendon had always intended to get a new band together to play live shows, but eventually retired the Resonars moniker in October 2000. By then he had accumulated scores of collected homemade recordings, some of which he began to release as Kilgore Trouts. He also continued playing shows with Al Perry & the Cattle. After moving to the Seattle area, Rendon joined the Vultures (he plays the drums under the name "Mickey Finch"). The group also featured Heath Heemsbergen, who had known Rendon when he was a member of the Tucson band the Fells. Rendon later returned to the Tucson area and joined the Knockout Pills, a garage punk band featuring members of the Weird Lovemakers and Los Federales. Royer, meanwhile, returned to his hometown, near Boston, and turned away from rock as his love of the banjo increased. He'd begun playing on the streets of Tucson, and eventually designed a "guitar machine" to play his one-man band shows, accompanying himself on the Dobro and harmonica. Royer has recorded several albums.

In 2002, Rendon resurrected the Resonars name for a new release on Get Hip called Lunar Kit, which featured both sides of the 2000 released "Floor Lamp Eyes" b/w "She's in Love with Her" (Star Time Records) 7". In June of 2002, a new Resonars album was released on Get Hip Records. Titled Lunar Kit, it recalled the last album and even included the single released between the two albums.

After a long break from the Resonars, Rendon returned in 2008 with the band's last album for Get Hip, Nonetheless Blue. Jumping over to the influential California label Burger Records, the band continued cranking out great records, with That Evil Drone in 2008 and Crummy Desert Sound in 2011. After recording an EP for Trouble in Mind (Long, Long Thoughts) in 2012, the label released The Greatest Hits of the Resonars, a career spanning sampler of Rendon's genius, in 2013.
Wow, i love ''The Resonars''. All i ever listened from this guy(s) is just great. The sound is very 60's
style. Great power pop. Hope you will enjoy!
Regards
             SB1
Flac

The Rubinoos - The Rubinoos (1977) 1997 Flac

For a brief moment, the Rubinoos seemed to be the last hope for pure pop music, carrying on the tradition of the Raspberries with an engaging blend of innocent bubblegum and power pop. The band was formed in 1973 by teenage friends Jon Rubin (vocals, guitar) and Tommy Dunbar (guitar, keyboards, vocals) along with Royse Adler (bass) and Donn Spindt (drums), but it wasn't until 1977 that they made their recording debut for Beserkley Records. The single, a cover of Tommy James' "I Think We're Alone Now," made an appearance in the lower reaches of the U.S. charts, giving the indie label their first hit. The same year, their self-titled debut LP received rave reviews all-around but failed commercially. Back to the Drawing Board (1979), another solid collection of bouncy pop songs, again went ignored despite its classic single "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." The band effectively broke up the following year. Rubin and Dunbar returned in 1983, contributing a pair of songs for the Revenge of the Nerds soundtrack and then teaming with producer Todd Rundgren for the Party of Two EP. "If I Had You Back" from the EP saw some airplay on MTV but it failed to ignite enough interest for the band to go on. In 1989, Tommy Dunbar formed a new band, Vox Pop, with former-Rubinoos Al Chan and Donn Spindt, along with John Seabury, formerly of Psychotic Pineapple. The band's self-titled release arrived in 1998 on Sandbox Records. Two collections of lost Rubinoos recordings were released in the early '90s. The group returned in 2000 with Paleophonic, which was originally a fan club-only release, and headlined that year's International Pop Overthrow festival. Coming back like they had never left in the first place, the band chose to release an all-covers album (Crimes Against Music, Vol. 1) in the fall of 2002.

This little gem is a celebration of pop music. There's no other way to describe this record. Catchy tunes with a touch of tongue-in-cheek, mixed with exuberance and joy make this record as much fun as when it was first released. (allmusic.com)
Enjoy
         Frank
Flac

Blue Ash - Around...Again: A Collection of Rarities from the Vault 1972-79 mp3@320

Blue Ash's fate mirrored that of fellow power poppers like Big Star -- not enough sales to back up all those critical hosannas. Youngstown, Ohio residents Bill Bartolin (vocals, guitar), David Evans (drums, vocals), Jim Kendzor (vocals), and Frank Secich (bass, vocals) formed in 1969, and soon won comparisons to the usual suspects associated with the tag: the Beatles and the Who.

Strong regional interest secured a deal in 1973 with Mercury Records, home of the New York Dolls. Both bands even had the same champion in A&R man Paul Nelson, who plucked Blue Ash's demo from an unsolicited tape pile. No More No Less appeared that year, and is best remembered for its raucously melodic leadoff track, "Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her?)." Critics fell all over themselves, but sparse sales dashed hopes of continuing with Mercury.

Evans was long gone when Front Page News finally appeared on Playboy's ill-fated label in 1977. The group's talent burned as brightly as ever -- though snowed under horns and strings -- but failed to improve its fortunes. There the story ended, although Blue Ash won a brief burst of notoriety when Anglo-poppers the Records covered "Abracadabra" for a 12" single in 1979. (The original version is also on Rhino's Poptopia! 70s Power Pop Classics compilation.) (allmusic.com)

– A collection of rarities from the vault 1972-1979 –
I am sorry to admit that I’ve never had a chance to hear Blue Ash’s two studio albums (No More, No Less, 1973 & Front Page News, 1979), even though I did want to, after reading power-pop fairytales about them.
Now, after hearing this collection of unreleased demos and rarities, the fairytale becomes a pretty real one, for me AND for the band too! According to the last count, there are “no more, no less” than 219 unreleased recordings in the vaults, of which we get to hear 44, most of them firm proofs that the “B-bands” list should be extended.
Sharing the destiny of their soulmates Raspberries or Big Star, the critical acclaim towards Blue Ash was not really proportional to the thickness of their wallets, so let’s hope that this late hype will contribute to the matter at least some.
The sound itself, is divided between glammy (the vocals sometimes reminding of Noddy Holder) power-pop crunch (highlighted by the Slade-ish Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her?), Badfinger-ed Halloween Girl, T-Rex-tured Lover Boy, the Raspberry-flavoured Baby Baby, the imaginary Tommy-outtake The Boy Won’t Listen, the Eastern-tinged Magic Words.
Or Mind Reader, kinda showing off the buzz that Supergrass were caught by at their beginning), mid-sixties jangle (It Won’t Be Long Now, having much more in common with the early Beatles besides the similar title, and the same Mersey moisture can be felt in Plain To See, With You On My Mind, She’s So Nice, I’m Your Man, Baby I Just Want You and Things Have Changed Now.
While the Byrdsy folk rock jangle is featured through I Remember A Time and also When You Rock, taken to the ‘70s Smokier-feel) and a bit of more traditional Americana (as shown in the countrified folk of I’m A Bad Actor and Oh No, Not Again! or another Raspberry-flavoured one, by way of Wally Bryson, called When I Come Home).
The one that is a bit surprising compared to the rest of the album, and among the highlights at the same time, is the string-leaden baroque popsike Silver Horses.
This should be more than enough a reason for us not make them come “around… again” for the third time, because they should really stick around.
Released by Not Lame 2004

The album is on amazon in ''used'' condition between 80 and 250 dollar. For a new copy the price is 366 dollar. What the f...?! Sorry that's just crazy and if i see things like that i love to share the music here one million times all the more.
Great music here. If you haven't this and love seventies pop rock music and power pop this is a must.
Regards
             Frank
 mp320

The Exploding Hearts - Shattered (2006) Flac

Punkish Portland, OR, power pop quartet the Exploding Hearts had been playing together for over two years before their debut recording, Guitar Romantic, was released by Seattle-based indie Dirtnap Records in spring of 2003. Taking influence from bands like the Clash, the Undertones, and the Only Ones, the group comprised bassist Matt "Lock" Fitzgerald, drummer Jeremy "Kid Killer" Gage, vocalist/guitarist Adam "Baby" Cox, and guitarist Terry Six; early on, the band also included keyboardist "King" Louie Bankston and original bassist Jim Evans, but they both left prior to Guitar Romantic's release. The album won the guys (all in their early twenties) a well-deserved buzz among music fans, scribes, and labels, and the band was in high demand on the West Coast touring circuit. Tragically, though, just as the group was gearing up for a nationwide tour and rumored to be signing with Lookout! Records, their van veered out of control while returning home on July 20, 2003, from a San Francisco concert, killing Gage, Cox, and Fitzgerald. Six managed to escape with only minor injuries.

Dirtnap released the LP Shattered in the fall of 2006, compiling singles from the band's much-too-brief career, including alternative versions and mixes, as well as their unreleased final recordings; the album also featured five songs of live footage from (what became) the Exploding Hearts' final show at San Francisco's Bottom of the Hill.

The van accident that claimed the lives of three of the Exploding Hearts was tragic on many levels; musically, it wiped out the future of possibly the best punk band since 1977. They were one of the few bands to transcend their obvious influences (the Clash, Johnny Thunders, the Only Ones, the Real Kids to name a few) and come up with something worthy of being rated right alongside the originators of the sound. Their album Guitar Romantic is simply thrilling from beginning to end and the thought that there will never be a follow-up leaves a huge hole in the hearts of their fans. Luckily, Dirtnap realized this and put together Shattered, a wonderful and melancholy collection of rare single tracks, unreleased songs, their original demo form 2001, and alternate versions of tracks from Guitar Romantic.-Tim Sendra (Dirtnap)

What left to say? I don't know really. I had bought the ''Guitar Romantic'' album as it was released. And it was a very strange feeling as i read later the news then. I think it is a tragedy because these guys was so damned young. Music journalists often lament the loss of great musicians and that is also true. But hey, in first line they were young kids. I know it's no nice theme but that was my thoughts when i remembered this tragedy. Okay Folks, normally i wanted post the debut album but can't find it at the moment. And i have only a 320 on my HD drive. I will keep searching... ''Shattered is full of energy and fine power pop/punkrockin' songs. Hey ho let's go! Have fun

Cheers
           Frank
Flac

The Groop - The Groop (1969) flac

This is the one and only album from ''The Groop''. It's a very nice psychedelic pop album, lushly orchestrated with some folk pop influences. The musicians which are involved in the project soon after the release split up. There is not much more i know about  the record. If you want more infos about it take a look over at ''Solidboy Music Blog'' where ''adamus67'' wrote a fine bio. Hope you will enjoy!
Greetings
               Frank
Flac

A lot more than a bass player: James Whild Lea

James Whild Lea - Therapy (2007) Flac

Therapy is the 2007 debut album from English musician Jim Lea, best known as songwriter, producer, bassist and multi-instrumentalist for the rock group Slade.Therapy is Lea's first full album of solo material although he has released other material under various pseudonyms since the early 1980s. Since Slade's split in 1992, Lea released a few singles of new material, as well as the 1992 album A Day in the Life of The Dummies, which collected early 1980s recordings from Lea's side-project band The Dummies.
In 2007, Lea re-emerged with Therapy - an album written, produced and recorded by Lea. The album's artwork features a 1976 sepia drawing of Lea. On his official website, Lea stated: "I was never a naturally public figure, but now I am re-emerging as an artist in my own right, mostly free from the restrictions of the industry. There will be more to come soon, but for now make the journey, step on the train, and get some Therapy." He also stated a reason for the website, "The reason I have adopted this website approach, for now at least, is that every time I have spoken to a record company about putting my music out there, it always seems to be inexorably linked with touring, which is a great consumer of time, energy and of course money, in other words, a great obstacle."
 The album was received well by Slade fans and critics. The album was not promoted and no singles were released from the album, although the opening track "Heaven Can Wait" appeared on a magazine promotional CD titled "Now Hear This! 54".
 Since the album's release, Lea has announced his future music plans which include the "String Theory" project and a future pop-themed album.

 The opening track "Heaven Can Wait" was rated eight at the time on the cover mount from the Word magazine with the following message: "They used to call him Jim Lea when he wielded the bass, sharing the songwriting credits and got most of the girls in the mirror-hatted heyday of Slade. Since then he has only rarely been seen outside his home in the Midlands and has dedicated himself to know as much about the workings of the human mind as possible. In the years since he left Slade he has played only two shows, both benefits."

"Dead Rock U.K." references numerous musicians, mainly from the 1970s, including Marc Bolan, Freddie Mercury, Phil Lynott, John Lennon and John Bonham. During Lea's 2002 live performance at the Robin, he revealed that "Go Out in Style" was written about Keith Moon, the drummer of the English rock group The Who.
The album contains a remake of "Universe", a song that was written by Lea for Slade, originally released as a single in 1991. This song was Slade's last single, lost to the Christmas rush that year and failing to chart. The song came to Lea when he was about to head out to an Indian restaurant for an evening meal.

In 2002, Lea performed live for charity event at the Robin 2 venue in Bilston, near Slade's old local pub, The Trumpet. Lea performed two original songs titled "Great Big Family" and "Over the Moon" which both later appeared on the "Therapy" album, with the latter being re-titled "Go Out in Style".
The entire Robin 2 gig was released in 2007 as a download-only option on Jim Lea's official site. Later in 2009, the gig was added as a bonus disc on a double CD edition of "Therapy". Although the disc covers the entire setlist, it does not feature the encore tracks which included Get Down and Get With It, Teddy Bears Picnic, Johnny B. Goode, Gudbuy T'Jane, Twist and Shout, and Purple Haze.
During the Robin 2 gig, Lea also performed covers of Slade hits "Cum On Feel the Noize", "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" and "Far Far Away". A cover of "I Saw Her Standing There" was also performed, a track which rock band The Red Beards from Texas released as a single in 1986, produced by Lea himself.
On a life timeline via Lea's own site, Lea was asked to play live again in 2003 but he declined to do so, asked what he was going to do he replied "I'm going to make an album and it will be Therapy."

Release

Aside from the original 13-track CD and digital release on Jim Jam Records, the album was also released as a double CD to include the Robin 2 gig on the second disc. In September 2016, the album was re-issued as a double CD by Wienerworld. In addition to an altered sleeve, the reissue features three previously unreleased bonus tracks: "21st Century Thing?", "Thank God It's Friday Right Now" and "Am I the Greatest Now?" The 16 page booklet features new liner notes from Lea, as well as memories of the Robin 2 gig by owner Mike Hamblett.
A vinyl edition of the 2016 reissue is slated for release in December 2016. It will feature an additional three bonus tracks, two of which are previously unreleased: "Misty Morning Light" and "Dare to Be Great". The other bonus track, "I'll be John, You Be Yoko" was released in 2000 as a single under the name Whild.

This is NOT the 2016 edition because there is no 2016 published ''Therapy'' until now as far as i know. This is from 2009.
I highly recommend this album. I will make two parts. One ''Therapy'' without the bonus disc and the second part the bonus disc. So you can choose whatever you want. Hope you have fun and
three cheers for Mr Lea
                                     Frank

James Whild Lea Disc 1
James Whild Lea Disc 2

More and more from Mr Nick Gilder! ''Rock America (1980)'' Flac

Hello Folks, more Nick Gilder here and more will follow. He's a great musician with great songwriting skills. He wrote also a lot for other musicians and that with big success. Today here is ''Rock America'' of 1980. I can remember the first time i heard the album i noticed the big influence of the ''New Wave'' sound on the songs. At that time i wasn't in ''New Wave''.
For me it was a cold sound then. So i needed several times to listen to the record before i really enjoyed the music. For me it is a good album. For shure not his best but really enjoyable.I love the guitarwork here on the record, good ''Rock''-feel. I hope you enjoy it and i will post more Nick Gilder later.
Cheers!
           SB1 (Frank)
 Flac

 

Everyone knows ''Mars Needs Guitars!'' of the Hoodoos but... (Flac)

Like most bands, Australia's Hoodoo Gurus were largely the product of their influences; unlike most bands, however, the Hoodoos channeled their inspiration from the vast entirety of the American pop cultural landscape, drawing on such disparate sources as B-movies, bad sitcoms, and junk food -- in tandem with the usual suspects like garage rock, power pop, and surf -- to create a distinctly kitschy and catchy sound. Formed in Sydney in 1981, Le Hoodoo Gurus (as they were originally dubbed) were led by singer/songwriter Dave Faulkner, who along with drummer James Baker previously served as a member of the short-lived Perth punk unit the Victims (best known for the autobiographical single "Television Addict"). Ex-Scientist Rod Radalj and Kimble Rendall rounded out the group's initial lineup, and their unique sound (three guitars, no bass) -- along with Faulkner's infectious songs -- quickly earned them a record deal.(excerpt bio)

The Hoodoo Gurus followed the excellent Stoneage Romeos with the equally swell Mars Needs Guitars!, a second helping of Dave Faulkner's wonderfully skewed kitsch-pop confections. While the band's basic m.o. hasn't changed all that much in the interim -- '60s-era pop, garage rock, and cowpunk remain their key musical reference points -- Faulkner's skills as a songwriter have grown perceptibly: the opening "Bittersweet" is an absolute gem, with other highlights like "Death Defying" and "Show Some Emotion" trailing not far behind. Also commendable is the Gurus' sharp wit -- from the hillbilly freakout of "Hayride to Hell" to the primitive B-movie stomp of the title track, their affection for the guilty pleasures of trash culture is infectious. Irresistible fun.(allmusic.com)

...i believe this is a record that can't post enough. And because i listened yesterday after a long time again to the band i thought it's a good idea. If you don't know the record, listen to it. It's a lot of fun and well worth it. Okay, see ya later folks.
Cheers
          Frank
Flac

@Request: Sweeney Todd - If Wishes Were Horses (1977)

If Wishes Were Horses is the second album of the Canadian glam rock band Sweeney Todd. The album was recorded during late 1975-1976 and released in 1977. It is the only Sweeney Todd album on which a 17-year-old Bryan Adams appears as the temporary singer. The producers deliberately sped his voice up to sound younger than it already was.(wiki)

Nothing more to say, i think i already posted the bio of the band in my first Sweeney Todd post.
Sorry folks, it's only in 160kbps. I don't own the cd  and it's hard to find. Sometimes '' a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush''. If anybody have a better copy please feel free and post it or email me.

cheers
          Frank



 new link@ 320 here

I removed the 160 link.