The Sevens - The Sevens 1965/66 (2005)

The Sevens, a Swiss quintet that formed in Basel in 1964 and worked on into 1968, cast themselves firmly in the mold of the then ongoing British Invasion -- the Animals, the Kinks, and the Pretty Things all take a bow in their sound, while their eponymous 1965 debut album included covers of the Newcastle band's "I'm Crying" and Ray Davies' "Don't You Fret." There, however, comparisons run into a brick wall, as the Sevens reveal themselves to be several steps removed from even the craziest import beat boomer. In bassist Michael Boway, the band boasted a songwriter who was at least the equal of his Anglo counterparts, and in vocalist Pierre Aeblascher was a frontman of almost breathtaking style.

Together, they collide with an electricity that is as eccentric as it is spellbinding -- there are moments, most notably "The Love of a Bird," where Aeblascher slurs so heavily and bellows so loudly that you wonder whether he was even in the studio when the record was recorded. He could easily have been singing drunkenly along later. But that is a part of this remarkable album's charm. "Seven," the band's first single, clashes brooding organ with metallic crashes, beneath Aeblascher's foreboding recitation of the things that happened "on the seventh day of the seventh month...." In contrast, "You Should Know" is a brutal R&B stomp, wherein the singer sounds almost completely removed from the band (and some bizarre stereo separation adds to the dislocation), while a brokenhearted drawl through "I'm Gonna Dress in Black" could be a lost Doors demo, as vocals and organ melt together into one slurring liquid blob.

This compilation rounds up the Sevens' full 1965 output -- their 12-track LP along with seven non-album A- and B-sides, and it's safe to say there's not a clunker in sight. The gatefold packaging, meanwhile, rounds up 11 picture sleeve singles, a crop of band and hysterical fan photographs, and an all-too-brief band history. All told, the whole package explodes with a freakbeat craziness that is irresistible.

This is a very impressive and intensive garage band from Swiss. If you don't know the band give it a try.

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Graham Gouldman - And Another Thing (2000) Flac

Despite having maintained his position among Britain's finest ever songwriters since his emergence in 1964, Graham Gouldman has remained surprisingly silent on the solo front, with only one full album to his credit (the early-'80s Animalympics soundtrack) since 1968 brought his debut, The Graham Gouldman Thing. Of course, he's never had any shortage of outlets for his work, whether it's the string of hits he composed during the 1960s, the effortless brilliance of his 10cc years, or latter-day collaborations with the likes of Andrew Gold and the late Kirsty MacColl. But still, And Another Thing was long overdue, all the more so since its casual blend of warmth, sincerity, and deathless melodicism remains as captivating as he ever has. The bulk of the album is comprised of newly composed material, penned with partners as varied as Claudio Guidetti, Gary Barlow (ex-British boy band Take That), Chris Difford (Squeeze), and Suggs (Madness), and highlighted by two bona fide classics, the delightful "Can Anybody See You?" and the self-confessedly Beatles-influenced "Walking With Angels."

The most immediate point of entry for older fans, however, surely lies in the three reprises that also punctuate the set: "Heartful of Soul" revisits a song he penned for the Yardbirds back in the mid-'60s; "You Stole My Love," first cut by his own band, the Mockingbirds, is revised to include the chorus from another oldie, the Mindbenders' once controversial "Schoolgirl"; and "Ready to Go Home" is plucked from the comparative obscurity of the last 10cc reunion. And Another Thing cannot, of course, begin to be compared with The Graham Gouldman Thing -- that album's contents, after all, stand as a virtual "best-of" for the entire 1960s. As a bookend to the three decades between the two albums, however, And Another Thing presents the portrait of a songwriter whom time has only tightened.

I'm a huge, real huge Beatles fan and maybe this is lese-majesty but to me Graham Gouldman is at eye level with Macca as pop songwriter and musician. Everything where this guy was involved, he makes it to gold in my ears. Graham Gouldman is and was always on an above-average level with
his musical works.
Enjoy
         Frank  New Link

Graham Gouldman - Love And Work (2012) Flac

Biography of Graham Gouldman

Graham Gouldman's songs provide the soundtrack to so many teenage memories. From his first songwriting hit 'For Your Love' recorded by The Yardbirds in 1965, through memorable tunes and lyrics for The Hollies and Herman's Hermits in the '60s, a decade of hits with 10cc in the '70s and early '80s, songwriting partnerships with Kirsty MacColl, Suggs from Madness, Andrew Gold, Gary Burr, Tim Rice and – still contributing to those teenage soundtracks – co-writing with McFly on their Number One album Wonderland.
Graham released a solo album in August 2012, Love and Work; his first in 12 years. That's in addition to touring with the third incarnation of 10cc, with Rick Fenn and Paul Burgess from the mid-'70s line-up. Graham has taken the music of 10cc around the world. A UK tour in the early part of 2012 included a date at The Royal Albert Hall. There was a break for the launch of the solo album before a more extensive tour with 10cc in autumn 2012.

Graham's earliest ambition, aged 8, was to be a drummer. After a few tentative lessons he realized that wielding a pair of drumsticks was not quite what he had in mind. Then, when he was 11, a cousin returned from Spain with a cheap acoustic guitar. 'As soon as I held it,' he remembers, 'I was gone'.
Graham left school in his hometown of Manchester as soon as was legally possible, and before long was playing lead guitar with The Whirlwinds. This was the '60s, the most exciting time in the history of Western music when the Beatles were happening. Liverpool was the new capital of the world, Elvis was king, Motown was the coolest, and Britain was spawning bands by the ton: The Hollies, Herman's Hermits, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Yardbirds, Georgie Fame, The Rolling Stones, Manfred Mann, The Springfields and the Mockingbirds.
The Mockingbirds were formed after Graham tired of the Whirlwinds. Working by day in a Gentlemen's outfitters and writing songs and playing by night didn't pan out, and Graham was soon fired from his day job. It was a blessing in disguise. He'd already caught the attention of Harvey Lisberg, the energetic manager of one of the biggest acts to break out of Manchester, Herman's Hermits. Harvey offered Graham a small retainer to sit in his office and write songs all day – a dream come true.
Within months The Mockingbirds signed to the Columbia (UK) division of EMI and were booked as the warm-up band at the taping of the Manchester-based BBC TV show, Top of the Pops. And, as if that wasn't enough, Graham had his first Top 10 hit at the age of 19, with the haunting 'For Your Love', recorded by The Yardbirds. Graham's songwriting career was off with a flourish.

He penned two more big hits for The Yardbirds, 'Heartful of Soul' and 'Evil Hearted You' and had his next Top 10 hit with 'Look Through Any Window', which he wrote for The Hollies. 'Bus Stop' followed – another Hollies' hit – and, although Graham was still recording with and without The Mockingbirds, the songwriting hits continued. 'Pamela Pamela' was ex-Mindbenders' Wayne Fontana's biggest solo hit. Herman's Hermits hit the Top 10 with 'No Milk Today', which featured the unforgettable suburban comment, 'the bottle stands forlorn, a symbol of the dawn', and 'East West', which was covered in 1991 by fellow Mancunian Morrissey.
In the late '60s, in between writing more hot songs for the likes of Jeff Beck, The Mindbenders, The Hollies et al, Graham spent time in New York writing and recording for Kasenetz-Katz hit factory and invested, with Eric Stewart, in Strawberry Studios, Stockport.
Back in the UK, after his spell in New York, Graham decided to get Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme together to complete the Kasenetz-Katz recordings. The four of them went on to produce and play on two Neil Sedaka albums: The Tra La Days Are Over and Solitaire (both of which were recorded and produced at Strawberry Studios).
Then, in 1972, 10cc was born, keeping Graham occupied for the next decade.
Songwriting partnerships followed with Tim Rice, Kirsty MacColl, and Suggs from Madness, to name but a few. Graham also went to Nashville and wrote with, among others, Country Songwriter of the Year Gary Burr.

Graham Gouldman is the complete musician; it's what he's always done, it's what he'll always do. And he loves it, 'I just can't imagine doing anything else,' he says. 'I love working with new, sometimes unsigned artistes. I know I benefit from their fresh perspective, I can only hope they then benefit from my experience.'
Graham Gouldman's catchy tunes and lyrical messages have been entertaining music-lovers around the world for decades, and there's much more to come. (taken from Mr Gouldman's homepage)

The first time i listened to these magic acoustic guitars and the spoken line ...big boys don't cry big boys... this man never ever leave my musical life until today. With his earlier work i would familiar later and it's like all he had done just awesome. I think i don't must tell you something about this album.
Enjoy
         Frank   Flac
                               Link expire 2017-03-29

The Who - Who's Next 1971 (Mini LP Platinum SHM-CD Universal Japan 2013)

The Who - Who's Next released in 1971 was the first studio album in the new century. And what a start in the seventies for the band. Is a more perfect rock album possibly? I think not. All is here on the creative peak for the band. Powerful in the rockers, emotional in the ballads. Not one weak song. Together with ''The Who Sells Out'' the strongest work of the band. Listening to the work of Moon and Entwhistle they maybe never played with this urgency and emotionality like here. Townshend veryfied here that he was one of the most important personalities in rock'n'roll of the sixties and seventies. End.

...pick up my guitar and play
just like yesterday
and i get on my knees and pray
we.....
Have fun
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Taos - Taos (1969) 2012 Flac

The following review is by reader Nik of a site who is called ''therisingstorm.net''. It's an interesting site in the case of Taos because in the comments ex members of Taos talk about the times then and of the process to bring the album on CD. If you're interested you find it here  . Okay, here is the review of Nik:

Here’s an unusual jewel, released on Mercury Records in 1971. The band Taos was actually a quintet pieced together by a group of young men who had moved to the legendary Taos commune in the early 1970s, namely: Jeff Baker on guitar and vocals, Steve Oppenheim on keyboards and vocals, Albie Ciappa on drums, Burt Levine on guitar and banjo, and Kit Bedford on bass, with the occasional intermixing of instruments going on in between cuts. If the band’s commune connection leads you into expecting some sort of stoned, improvisational musical meanderings, however, you’re in for a surprise: their sole, self-titled record is pop music all the way.
Indeed, the band itself is surprisingly together, tempering mildly eccentric diversions into psychedelia and country music with a solid foundation in 1960s rock and roll. If there’s one band to which Taos owes its biggest debt, I’d say it would have to be The Beatles. Kit Bedford’s warm, melodic bass work channels Paul McCartney all the way, while the group’s vocal harmonies show a tendency to lean more towards the ragged schoolboy charm of the Four than the choirboy constructions of American groups such as the Byrds, or the Mamas and Papas. This influence is not to say that Taos lacks an identity of its own, however. On the contrary, they manage to take this influence in surprising directions, whether it’s the lonesome cosmic cowboy pastiche “After So Long” or the phased psychedelic boogie of “Twenty Thousand Miles In the Air Again”.

Despite the general cohesiveness of the album, however, there are the occasional faults, such as the unnecessary, repeating theme “The Day Begins,” which should have simply been turned into a full-fledged song rather than left as fragmentary interruptions in the tracklist. Every now and again the musicians also reveal a slight weakness in the vocal department, as the slightly squirrely lead on “Morning Sun” illustrates. Lastly, the song lyrics aren’t really worth shedding too much ink over – there’s certainly no metaphysical contemplation or social commentary going on here, whatever other Sixties sensibilities the record may boast. These latter complaints border on quibbling, though, because the music here is almost too much fun to criticize. Again, this is pop music, and should be enjoyed for what it is. I think that Taos is certainly consistent enough that, if you’re digging the tracks below, you’re gonna like what you hear the rest of the way through.

Unfortunately, Taos is currently unavailable digitally. Yeah, there had to be a bum note at the end of all this. It looks as if you all are going to have to search this one out on vinyl, though at the time of writing this article it looks as though there are at least a few copies haunting eBay for around ten or fifteen dollars apiece, which certainly ain’t bad. And speaking of the vinyl, this record comes adorned in a really great gatefold sleeve, with pictures of the band rehearsing and bumming around Taos. I’m almost tempted to imagine the psychedelic, southwestern Hard Day’s Night bouncing around in these kids’ heads. (Nik)

Maybe i'm wrong but in my ears the band already took the way where pop music would go in the future early seventies with this '69 album. You hear here in the beginning a lot of things what makes the Eagles later in the seventies to the best selling pop rock band in the States and big parts of the western world. With this album the band says Hello to the seventies. Absolutely underrated album of it's kind. ( i hope you understand my not so well english speaking)
Have fun
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The Eight Day - On The Eight Day 1967 (2006 Japan) Flac

Allright Folks, here is a short story about the Band The Eight Day and the making of her record:

The Story of the 8th Day as told by Sons of Liberty band leader, Frank DeFede. (written by John Fluharty)
I heard that a man from Cadiz, Ohio, Joe Gorlock, who had a club called Club 22 had music connections in New York City and that he was involved in helping Bobby Vinton getting his start. I called Mr. Gorlock to set up an audition at his club for The Sons of Liberty, and told him that we were interested in recording and making the big time. Another band, the Opus 4, were regulars at Club 22 and had a single at the time called "5 Minutes To Train Time".
So we went to Cadiz to the Club 22 for an audition. Mr. Gorlock really seemed impressed, especially with the vocals, and later on while we were jamming around on some originals, he called someone on the phone. I asked him what that was all about and he just said; "Oh nothing! I was just letting someone hear you!"
The Sons of Liberty became regulars at Club 22 and over a period of a few months heard about some people from New York that were pretty big in the music business. The company was called Fireplace Productions and the producer was Bob Feldman of Hang on Sloppy, and I Want Candy, fame. The song writers were Gene Allen, who wrote many of Bobby Vinton's songs, and Ron Donte, who was the voice behind the Archies hit Sugar Sugar, and then went on to produce Barry Manilow.
The next day, while the group was all together at a practice at Glenn Reasner's house, the phone rang and it was Mr. Gorlock asking for me. I'll never forget that day, how excited we were. He said, "Do you remember when I was holding up the phone?" One of his contacts in New York City liked the vocals he was hearing and he said that we needed to rent a u-haul and drive up to New York City as soon as possible for a live audition.

Within a few days we were on our way to New York City. John Rasz borrowed his dad's car and we hitched up the trailer. When we got there, we were directed to an audition hall that must have been like eight stories up a narrow flight of steps. I still remember it like it was yesterday. Gene Allen and Ronnie Donte were there to audition us. We sang our hearts out doing a lot of originals. When we were done, they came up to us and said that they absolutely loved our voices and that they were going to sign us. It was that quick.
The producer's added two terrific female singers, Melanie Ross, and Nancy Petite, both from Cadiz, Ohio. The girls were also associates of Joe Gorlock. They wanted to put together an act to compete with The Mama's and Papa's, and felt they could sell the act to a major label. They changed our name to The 8th Day.
We then spent several months in New York. At first our parents paid for the hotel. We stayed at the President Hotel, right across from Mama Leone's famous Italian Restaurant. It was located at 48th west Broadway, just a half a block off of Broadway. We were only a few blocks away from the famous Brill Building where we would go to rehearse everyday. Fireplace productions, owned by Bob Feldman was located right next door to Liber Stollerman, the famous writers and producers of major hits. We used to go in there often and look at the awards etc. on the walls. Jay of Jay and the Americans would come into Fireplace productions and listen to us. One time he was kind of rubbing his arms. I asked him what was wrong and he said, man you guys give me goose bumps. He loved our vocals.
After a short while, perhaps a few weeks, we went into mayfair studio and recorded a demo of Brandy and Raining Sunshine with just a guitar and vocals. It sounded unbelievable. Feldman, and the writers were most excited about it. However, they said that we sang so well that they felt it would be best if we auditioned live for the major record companies.
 
I remember auditioning for Capital, Mercury, Decca, and many others including Kapp. Every one of the companies offered to sign us and they were actually trying to outbid each other. Finally Kapp records gave the best offer, which included a full color 45. This was the deal breaker. This 8th Day was the first group in history to get a full color release on their first record. The contact also included a complete album deal, with full orchestration with one of the up and coming great arrangers, the now legendary, Artie Butler.
They music tracks were recorded at Bell Sound, which was and may still be one of the famous studios in the World. We added the vocals later at Mayfair Studios. We spent the entire summer in New York City . Things started to sour as we couldn't understand why it was taking so darn long to complete this album. It was just ridiculous. Glenn Reasner was only 16, and he needed to get back into school. The other thing that was frustrating was that we wanted to do our own songs. Davy didn't get to sing any of his raw rock songs that he was so good at. We were young and impatient. They did tell us to just take it slow and that all of that would happen for us in time.
It was the end of summer and we had driven all night to get back up to New York City after a labor day weekend at home. We got in late and missed rehearsal, and showed up at the studio just in time. Our voices were rough as we just woke up. Feldman was not happy. After a some words, the SOL minus Jim Brandilino and the girls, who decided to stay, left Mayfair studios and headed home.
They told us that we would regret this some day. Joe Gorlock got The Opus 4 to replace the Sons Of Liberty. They recorded five more songs to finish the Album. The album was finally released, and the SOL got no credit for any of it. However there are six songs that are on the album that are clearly the SOL, and featured below on this page. Additionally, when the 45 came out, the SOL photo was used. This was taken at Central Park and it was suppose to be the main song for the album called Raining Sunshine. That is why we are holding up the umbrella's.
 
The Opus 4 were saying that they re-recorded all of our songs, but that is not true. You can clearly hear Davey, Glenn, and me especially on Brandy, and Raining Sunshine. Also, I spoke with Nancy and Melanie about this during our 40-year reunion concertn, and they said that they definitely did not re-record anything. In fact, she said that the group was never the same after we left. Feldman was always upset with the Opus 4 vocals, he especially did not like Rob Parrisi's voice. Which is something as he went on to write and produce one of the biggest hits ever at that point in time, "Play That Funky Music White Boy" when in the group Wild Cherry.
 
We stopped on our way home to get gas and John asked me, what the heck did we just do. I said we quit. We just looked at each other, shook our heads and got back in the car. The SOL was pretty much shot then for a while. I finally got us back together and booked us time at Gateway Records in Pittsburgh and we recorded three of my songs, (Love Babe, There's A Little Girls, I Should Go to The Doctor) and one of Davey Buhl's songs (Do You Need Someonel).
 
Sometimes I regret that we left New York City, but we came back and went on to do our own material. We did very well for a local group with no backing to be able to get Love Babe played and number one on many charts in the valley, and even in Huntington, WV, Arkon, OH. etc. I had even heard of it getting Air Play in Florida and California. The record died though as I didn't know how to get distribution at the time.
 

According to Melanie and Nancy, they never made a dime. They actually got to be number one in some cities, but as I remember the Bill Board Charts only showed the Hey Boy as getting into the top 100 or maybe it was the top 50. It never went any higher. (Note: None of the songs made the top 100 at least in Cash Box). The SOL was pretty much stuck as we tried to get out of the contract, but they held us up for six years.
Dave Buhl and I went to Nashville. I went on and had a few songs published by Screen Gems Music, and I was about to get a recording contract with Screen Gems, but then gave up on the music business. I headed home to get married to Linda Shaffer, and to get a real job at Weirton Steel and then later at Sears. Davey Buhl stayed a little longer than me as he was able to get a recording contract and an album deal with a producer name Bob Tubert. Davey even cut one of my songs on his album called "You Don't Need To Make Me Happy."
I am happy to say the SOL was one of the only groups in the valley to have such an interesting story to tell. We were only like 16 - 20 years old and got further than really anyone else I know of around here. Who knowz, if we would have stayed, I think the rest of the album would have been better. The girls told me that they never got along with the Opus 4, as they did with us. If we would of stayed things may have turned out differently. Raining Sunshine would have been the single, and then followed up with Brandy. They also recently told me that we were scheduled to go on the Ed Sullivan show, but when the new group didn't do that well that was cancelled.
What happned next! (By John Fluharty from a conversation with Nancy Petit and Melanie Ross and emails from Jim Brandolino)
After the beakup, the Opus 4 and the three remaining original members of The 8th Day (Jim, Melanie and Nancy) completed the album. Six of the songs were done by the original group and five by the replacements. Melanie and Nancy said that Ronnie Dante did a lot of singing on the final five cuts. He was the main writer of all the songs recorded by The 8th Day (Teamed with George Allen)
Ron Dante was lead singer for The Archies, whose recording of Sugar, Sugar was the #1 hit of 1969. But he was also lead singer (actually, all the singers!) on The Cufflinks' Tracy, which was in the Top Ten at the same time that "Sugar" was in the top spot. Enough about Ronnie now back to the 8th Day.
We can deduce that the first single was supposed to be Raining Sunshine. Note the umbrella's in the full color photo taken in New Yorks Central Park. The actual first release, Hey Boy! (The Girl's In Love With You!) did quite well in several eastern and mid-western markets. The magazine Record World gave it a bullet predicting The 8th Day as a group to watch. The 8th Day played concerts in Ohio, New York, Tennessee and Illinois. They headlined a show with Billy Joe Royal and Bobby Goldsboro at the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. They were featured on shows with Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, Tommy James and the Shondells, The Vogues, and others.
The 8th Day possibly would have gone much further if Dave Kapp had not sold his record label to MCA. Kapp was committed to making The 8th Day one of America's top groups. But then he sold the label. After the sale, MCA stopped all promotions and things fell apart. Before the year was over both Nancy and Melanie were married and had started families. If the original group with the SOL had stuck with The 8th Day, the first release may have been earlier and a bigger success before MCA took over. We will never know.

 
The 8th Day Resurgance (Research by John Fluharty)
There seems to be a world wide nostalgia movement for songs of the 60's. The 8th Day song "Brandy" was re-released in Germany in 2003 as part of a 3 CD collection entitled "The Get Easy Sunshine Collection" that featured popular folk rock songs from 60's. The album is part of what is called 60's Pop Sunshine Nostalgia, which is popular in Germany. Beside the 8th day the album features artists Spanky and Our Gang, the Cowsills, Leslie Gore, Mama's and Papa's, Doc Severinsen and many more. It is one of five volumes that have been released by one German label.
The entire “8th Day” album was re-released in 2006 in Japan, which has a current nostalgia craze for music of the sixties and seventies. The Japanese “8th Day” CD is a complete digital re-mastering of the original album.
I took this from the band's page ''The 8th Day Home Page - Technimedia Studio's.

I love this album and it's an important part to the history of the sixties folk pop sunshine music.

Have fun

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Peter Bruntnell - Nos Da Comrade 2016 mp3

If we lived in a just world, Peter Bruntnell would by now be in the middle of his third or fourth global arena tour, his biggest worry working out how to courier his latest armful of Grammy awards back to the UK so his butler could have them installed in the west wing of mansion by the time he got home. Instead, the Kingston upon Thames-based, Devon-raised, New Zealand-born singer-songwriter spent February playing a tour of venues that included the front room of a terraced house. His new album, Nos Da Comrade, features lead single Mr Sunshine, a rollicking deconstruction of a certain US presidential candidate and a golf course that destroyed a Scottish fishing community. The ninth album of an uncommonly excellent recording career, it will be released – alas, all too fittingly – on April Fools’ Day. The fools, of course, are the vast majority of the world’s listening public, who have stubbornly refused to pay much attention to Bruntnell since the release of his debut LP more than 20 years ago. Ringing endorsements from the likes of REM’s Peter Buck and Son Volt’s Jay Farrar have been matched by rave reviews (Guardian Music contributor Keith Cameron, reviewing Bruntnell’s third LP in NME, memorably wrote that “his songs should be taught in schools”). And the music really is exceptional – a canon of classically constructed, melodically rich, lyrically ingenious and emotionally, intellectually affecting songs that bears comparison with the all-time greats. Yet there appears to be almost nobody listening.

This guy makes really good records and his latest is a fine pop album with only one lack of strength (imho): The production is a little bit too clean. Maybe Peter Buck should have done the production for a more raw sound? However great songs and a fine album.
Enjoy
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Sloan - The Double Cross (2011) Flac

Returning to normal operations after a three-year hiatus, Sloan offer a few new wrinkles on The Double Cross -- the polyester-draped “Your Daddy Will Do” salutes the ‘70s in a suitably spangly disco fashion, there’s a hint of delicate pastoral folk on “Green Gardens, Cold Montreal” -- but the group doesn’t stray from the pop collage of 2006’s Never Hear the End of It.

Each of the 12 cuts lands somewhere between an homage and invention, the four singer/songwriters of Sloan splicing together their deep record collections in ways familiar and fresh. An organ may bring Dylan to mind, harmonies may recall the Beatles, yet these allusions are deployed with knowing winks in songs that don’t explicitly sound like their influences. Sloan are craftsman who weld their good taste into charming miniatures, and if The Double Cross retains a hint of familiarity -- not due to the source material but rather the workmanship -- the group’s level of skill assures that this is as comfortably satisfying as its predecessors.

Enjoy the 10th album of Sloan in 20 years (2011).
Viel Spass
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The Sixpentz - Summer Girl; The Complete Recordings (1966-69) 2009 (Flac)

I don't find a lot about The Sixpentz/The Sixpents/The Fun & Games Commision/The Fun And Games. They were a Texas Garage pop band from Houston and played the music clubs of the town. In 1964-'65 they became the house band in the ''La Maison'' club. A club who a lot of bands had played and played (also the kings of the garage movement, the Elevators had played the club.
The band recorded some singles.

After their first single, the Six Pents became The Sixpentz, and signed with Mainstream Records. The Sixpentz released two singles on Brent, a subsidiary of Mainstream (the label also released material by Word, who became Euphoria after they moved to L.A.). Eventually, the Sixpentz learned there was already a band called Sixpence, so, to avoid future confusion, they decided another name change was due, and became the Fun And Games Commission. Their first single -- "Someone Must Have Lied" -- was issued under this name before the group finally decided to shorten their name to the Fun And Games.

They eventually came to the attention of Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter/producer Gary Zekley, who, in the spring of 1967, had written a song called "Yellow Balloon" for Jan and Dean while producing a concept album of theirs, Save For A Rainy Day. Zekley knew the sunshine pop confection was a potential hit, so he re-recorded it -- under the group name Yellow Balloon -- with several of session musicians, and actor/musician Don Grady (who had already been recording for the Canterbury label with his own group, the Windupwatch Band). This group's soft-rock version scored a Top Thirty hit, while Jan and Dean's version failed to chart. Sensing he could find similar success with the Fun And Games, Zekley helped them secure a new record contract with Russ Regan's UNI Records. Shortly before signing, John T. Bonno and D. J. Greer were replaced by Joe Dugan (keyboards) and Joe Romano, on bass. Joe Romano went on to play with A 440 with future Jesus Christ Superstar actor/singer Ted Neeley. Zekley wrote and produced the Fun And Games' first single, and produced their 1969 album, Elephant Candy, co-writing seven of the twelve tracks with songwriting partner Mitch Bottler (in 1969, Zekley and Bottler would also pen "I'd Wait A Million Years", a huge hit for the Grass Roots).

The Fun And Games' "Grooviest Girl In The World" climbed to 78 in the U.S. Top 100. During this same time, Regan unveiled the group at a huge music industry showcase at a club in Los Angeles, but -- once onstage -- singer Sam Irwin proceeded to insult many of the UNI staffers. Shortly after this obvious display of poor judgment, Regan completely pulled the plug on promoting the band. They dissolved not too much later. Rock Romano went on to form Doctor Rockit and the Sisters of Mercy. After he and the Sisters eventually split, and he continued to front Doctor Rockit. He also played guitar and bass with the Sheetrockers and bass with Duck Soup, an Austin, Texas group fronted by former Fun And Games vocalist Irwin. ~ ( Bryan Thomas, Rovi)

These guys were great with fine songs between catchy lines and a little (very litttle) garage sound.
If you like the sixties and sweet melodies take a listen here.
Kind regards
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Sloan - Navy Blues 1998 (flac)

Having weathered the demise of its most recent American label, Sloan forges on, battered but unbroken and still delivering perfect pop records; Navy Blues might just be the band's best yet, with the sheer consistency of its infectious melodies, clever lyrics, and exuberant performances pushing the group toward new creative peaks. Moving away from the ornately Beatlesesque production of the previous One Chord to Another, the sound on Navy Blues is more down and dirty, indicating a heavy Big Star influence; a track like "Iggy & Angus" certainly isn't as raw as the homages implicit in its title would suggest, but its fuzzed-out guitars and lumbering drums are nevertheless emblematic of the sonic shifts that characterize the entire record.

Truth be told, there's not a weak track here, but "C'mon C'mon (We're Gonna Get It Started)," "Keep On Thinkin,'" "Chester the Molester," and "I Wanna Thank You" all go above and beyond the call of duty, each undeniably catchy and instantly memorable.(allmusic.com)

Navy Blues and ''One chord to another'' are my favourite albums by Sloan and i will post ''One chord...'' also in the next days.When there is more interesting in Sloan let me know and i can post more of the band.
Cheers
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Canadian Power Pop Part 2 - Sloan - Twice Removed 1994 (Flac)

A far superior effort to Sloan's scattershot debut, 1994's Twice Removed is a clever and varied collection of smart and catchy pop songs. Without the grunge-era production that smothered some of the best songs on Smeared, the sparkling wit of the lyrics and catchy directness of the melodies shine through. All four members write and sing, which accounts for the variation between songs like the punkish opener, "Penpals," and the chiming guitars and "ba-ba-ba" chorus of the sublime "People of the Sky," the highest of the album's high points.

Other goodies include the puckish media slam "I Hate My Generation" and the dreamy, largely acoustic closer, "I Can Feel It," with its harmonies by Jale's Jennifer Pierce. Not everything works quite so well -- the seven-minute "Before I Do" is at least two and a half minutes too long -- but Twice Removed was the first indication that Sloan was more than Canada's answer to the Lemonheads.(allmusic.com)

I always loved Sloan since the first song and if i listen to Sloan here and now it's still the same.
If you like drivin' guitars and a special kind of nineties power pop/alternative you are right here.
Enjoy,
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Marvelous '60s UK pop from The Secrets feat. Clifford T.Ward: Infatuation; Singles & Demos 1966-1968 Flac

The Secrets feat. Clifford T Ward - Infatuation: Singles & Demos 1966-1968

"Infatuation: Singles & Demos 1966-1968" by the Secrets, a young UK combo largely relegated to footnotes and factual tidbits that mention Clifford T. Ward's involvement as leader, and the fact that he wrote future UK psych masterpiece "Path Through The Forest" (popularised by The Factory) whilst a member of this group. Little that has been previously written would suggest that further investigation was necessary, yet this packed to the gills 28 track collection is a compelling document of exceptionally well written sixties pop, which on occasion suggests a poppier UK counterpoint to Arthur Lee's early material, minus the political commentary. Ward's vocals are often a dead-ringer for Lee's, and there are similarities in the minor key jangle that can't be shaken off, once noticed.

Psych influences are mild here, but the flavour of the era is inescapible and those with a thing for extremely melodic, well crafted sixties guitar pop will swoon over this collection, which includes both sides of each of their five singles, as well as a raft of unusually worthy demos and studio outtakes, including two quite different takes of Ward's classic "Path Through the Forest", which, despite its legendary status, can't compete with the earworm immediacy of "Keeping My Head Above Water" and "Naughty Boy". Exceptional.(review then back by active listener.com)


I don't understand why this guys didn't climb the charts back in the days of british pop psychedelia mid till end of the sixties. The songs got all a successful song must have but maybe they was not ''psychedelic'' enough. However this is a collection of really great british sixties pop music. 28 songs here and only little  filler. You will have a lot of fun.
Cheers
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