Barnaby Bye - Touch 1974 (2010 Wounded Bird Records) Flac & mp3@320

This was the second album by Barnaby Bye. And it's perfect. It's different from the debut. Here the songs are more in a soul direction produced. Maybe the band tried this because the debut album was no success. The songwriting is first class and i think the band had tried to make an commercial album but it failed to reach the charts. I prefer the first album. Nevertheless this is a top notch album. What do you think?

Enjoy
          SB1     Flac p1  &  Flac p2    -  mp3@320

The Electric Prunes - Mass In F Minor 1968 (2013 Rhino Original Album Series ) Flac & mp3

For fans of the Electric Prunes, the 1968 Reprise album Mass in F Minor is a disaster, but for aficionados of failed and bizarre concept records of the late '60s, it's definitely worth investigating. The eight tracks on this religious-based rock opera (with lyrics sung in Latin!) were written, arranged, and conducted by classical composer David Axelrod and spurred on by then-Prunes manager Lenny Poncher and record producer Dave Hassinger. Evidently, all parties involved, including the band, agreed that this project would propel the Electric Prunes from minor-league garage rockers into a finely tuned psychedelic ensemble to be taken seriously as musicians and artists. Unfortunately, the Prunes were not prepared to tackle Axelrod's complex and involved arrangements without a major struggle. In order to keep the sessions from going into costly overtime, Hassinger brought in studio musicians to finish the project. The results were completely unlike the group's previous two releases, with the majority of the tracks being performed by ad hoc Prunes. Shortly after the album's release, the original lineup faded into obscurity, taking Mass in F Minor with them. However, an eerie version of "Kyrie Eleison" received fleeting attention when it was featured in the film Easy Rider.(allmusic)

Surely this album is different from other works by the Prunes but is it bad because of this ? No way.
It seems that the audience love this album more than some critics. By the way six tracks not eight! Anyway take it or leave it

Cheers
           Frank   Flac   &  mp3@320

The Penthouse 5 - The World Is Love! (1966-1967) (1997 Collectables) mp3@256

The Penthouse 5 were one of dozens of unsung bands floating around Texas in the mid-'60s. Based on the recorded evidence, however, they were also one of the great ones; lots of acts claim the Beatles as inspiration, but the Penthouse 5 translated the Beatles (and, to some extent, the Byrds) influence into garage rock terms about as well as any of them. The mix of Beatles-like harmonies, crunchy guitars, and pumping, grinding Farfisa organ is compelling and always surprising in its details and nuances. Justin Brown (lead guitar), Rob Graham (vocals), Mark Porter (drums), Steve Wood (guitar, vocals, keyboards), and Bill Looney (bass) came out of Oak Cliff, not far from where Stevie Ray Vaughan hailed. They were part of an orbit of Beatles- and folk-rock-influenced musicians in the area that included songwriter Ron Price, who wrote "Don't Mess Around with My Dream, " the B-side of the Penthouse 5's debut single, "Bad Girl," and Jon Williams, who had been with a band called the By Fives and then with the WordD. By 1967, internal conflicts had driven Brown, Graham, and Porter out of the Penthouse 5's lineup, and they were succeeded by Jon Williams (vocals, keyboards, harmonica), Richard "Lurch" Keathley (lead guitar, vocals) -- who had both come from the Dallas-based the WordD -- and Mike Echart (drums). The new band, renamed the Penthouse, made another half-dozen records with producer Edward Greines; the Beatles influence was still discernable on songs like "You're Gonna Make Me," but the reconstituted Penthouse was more self-consciously heavy and serious, and cut singles for the Solar and Hawk labels.
By the end of 1967, however, the band had split up as Steve Wood moved to California, where he led a band called the New Life (who turn up on the soundtrack of The Sidehackers, a Gus Trikonis film that subsequently provided Mystery Science Theater 3000 with perhaps its funniest non-sci-fi moments), and played with Kenny Loggins. The rest of the group left the music business.(allmusic.com)

I found this recently on the web unfortunately only in 256mp3 quality. This is a very fine collection by Collectables with 20 songs. And it's a lot of really good stuff here. Give it a try and enjoy.

Cheers Frank     mp3@256

Psychedelic Rock By Neon Pearl - 1967 Recordings (2004 ACME Lion) Flac & mp3@320

The Neon Pearl trio consisted of Peter Dunton (vocals/guitar/keyboards/drums), Bernard Jinks (bass/backing vocals), and Nick Spenser (guitar/harmonium/keyboards). In 1967 they recorded the material issued on 1967 Recordings, which is fair if somber period British psychedelia in its hazy riffs, mild guitar distortions, and vocal harmonies, though the songs aren't too imaginative or varied. Dunton was also in the marginally less obscure British psychedelic bands the Flies and Please, while Jinks would later play in Bulldog Breed and T2, the latter of which also included Dunton. (Richie Unterberger)

This collection of obscure British psychedelia has a pleasantly foggy, ethereal feel. There are steadily jangling guitars, accomplished subdued distortion and effects, pulsating riffs, dreamy lyrics ("Dream Scream" is one title), and attractive vocal harmonies, with occasional harmonium tossing in an unusual spice. It fits the cliché of being suitable background music for launching into a meditative doze, or for an altered state of consciousness using specific substances. There's also a serious-mindedness to the mood that, while sincere, would probably never be adapted by a post-20th century band unless it was done with a certain amount of irony totally missing here.

What's to complain about? Not much, but the songs themselves are on the monotonous and undeveloped side, sounding more like grooves to work off of than fully realized compositions. The tracks could be viewed as vague forerunners of a more modern form of Terrastock-era psychedelic-influenced ambient and trance rock. But the absence of better songs confines this to the realm of specialists, and excludes it from the upper reaches of the better obscure late-'60s British psychedelic music that might be considered for exploration by collectors.  (Richie Unterberger)

If you don't know this sixties psychedelia band give the record a try
and enjoy
Cheers
           SB1     Flac p1    &   Flac p2      - mp3@320

Barnaby Bye - Room To Grow 1973 (2010 Wounded Birds) Flac & mp3@320

With the formidable combination of talent, good looks, and a world class producer, it is surprising that Barnaby Bye's debut album, Room to Grow, wasn't a runaway smash. The talented twin teen-heartthrobs Bobby and Billy Alessi, together with former Blues Magoos guitarist Peppi Castro (aka, Emil Thielhelm), and ex-Illusion drummer Michael Ricciardella released Room to Grow in 1973 on Atlantic with some success, but without the popularity they probably deserved.

Their combination of Beatles-inspired songwriting, Queen-like vocal harmonies, and predilection for camp actually worked because they were talented enough to pull it off without sounding completely derivative. Exemplified by tunes like the wonderfully Brit-sounding "Jessie Girl," and the Marc Bolan-meets-Roy Wood rocker "Marsha Mamaillia," the boys proved that they could pay homage to their heroes without quoting them directly. As a result, the album is surprisingly solid and cohesive, with ballads like Billy Alessi's "I Feel for You" and Bobby Alessi's "Laneya" providing just the right amount of breathing room for the more upbeat tracks.

Barnaby Bye's Long Island-take on Brit-pop was probably more of a template for later retro-rock outfits like Jellyfish and the Merrymakers than the original bands themselves. A solid, fun, and enjoyable effort, Room to Grow should find a comfortable spot in any serious collection of '70s pop/rock.(allmusic)

Wonderful album by a gang of gifted musicians. Why an album like this failed to jump in the charts of the first half seventies is a mistery to me. If you like pop rock at it's best you should give it a try.
I will post the album that the band released one year later as well.
Have fun
               SB1     Flac p1  & Flac p2     - mp3@320

Doc Thomas Group And The Silence - The Italian Job Shotgun Eyes 1967 (1998 Angel Air Records) Flac & mp3

From the very tangled tree of about a dozen '60s bands that fed into the eventual formation of Mott the Hoople, the Doc Thomas Group were one of the most important, chiefly because they actually released an album. Future Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and bassist Pete Watts were both on board when the group recorded their sole LP (released only in Italy, where they were based for a time) in late 1966.

Future Mott drummer Dale Griffin (aka Buffin) joined the band in the spring of 1967, although he doesn't appear on the album, which featured Stan Tippins as lead singer. The self-titled LP consisted entirely of R&B/soul covers, executed derivatively and just about competently, in the style of mod bands of the period such as the Small Faces.

The Doc Thomas Group struggled on until 1968, changing their name to Silence with the addition of organist Terry (soon to become Verden) Allen; from that point, it was only a matter of recruiting Ian Hunter to replace Tippins to create Mott the Hoople in 1969. The extremely rare Doc Thomas Group album was reissued on CD in 1998, on a disc that also included a Silence "reunion" session recorded in 1990. (allmusic.com)

The story of Tippins was as the band was signed to Island the company said he don't fits in the new image of the band. Tippins hinself said to the band he want not stand in the way and would leave. That's how the business works...
Enjoy
         SB1              Flac p1 & Flac p2 & Flac p3      -  mp3 p1 -  mp3 p2

First Album Of Morning Dew - Morning Dew 1967 (2001 Akarma) Flac &mp3@320

Here is the first album by Morning Dew. It's a very interesting album because it is a little different to other psychedelic bands and sounds at that time. In some parts it remembers me to german krautrock bands. In the next moment you listen to a great pop line. This is not a typical american psychedelic album of the sixties in my ears. Except ''Country Boy Blue'', where you can hear from where the boys came.

Enjoy
         Frank      Flac p1 & Flac p2    - mp3@320

Psychedelic Pop/Rock from The Morning Dew - Second Album 1967-1970 Flac & mp3@320

The Morning Dew were formed from the remains of a collapsed folk-rock band called The Toads. Two early single releases, "No More" and "Be a Friend," were local successes in 1967, and the group was signed to Morris Levy's Roulette label in early 1969, for which they cut an entire album of material before disbanding later that year. Collectables has reissued a CD collection, and Gear Fab has released the folk-like "Sing Out" from their unissued late 1968 sessions.(allmusic.com)

Great band from the Kansas area. Nearly all what the guys released is really well done. I will post the first album in the next days as well. By the way, Morning Dew was inducted into the Kansas Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. Not bad guys!

Enjoy
         Frank    Flac   &  mp3@320

Psychedelic Pop By United Travel Service - Wind And Stone 1966-1970 (2010 Break-A-Way Records) Flac

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 Sonicsand Wailers. Not so the United Travel Service.
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.

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 present 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.

I posted this album already in January but only in mp3 format. Here it comes now in Flac. This is the cd release but i added the lp artwork as well. The cd was released in 2010, the lp one year earlier in 2009. The lp have only 12 tracks but two of them ( Crystal Land & Plastic Paradise) are not on the cd.This is a very fine psychedelic pop album i highly recommend.
Enjoy
         Frank   Flac p1   &   Flac p2     


You can buy the album and the cd here

The Sanctions & Jim and the Lords - Then Came The Electric Prunes 1965 (2000 Heartbeat Productions) Flac & mp3@320

35 years on.... and Heartbeat has come up with more Prunes rarities. 'Then Came The Electric Prunes' unearths pre-Prunes Audiodisc acetates recorded chez Russ Bottomley - 12 tracks from 27th March 1965 by The Sanctions (James Lowe, Ken Williams, Mark Tulin and Mike Weakley) and 4 tracks from 29th September 1965 by Jim And The Lords (with Dave Hargrave added to the previous line-up).
The Sanctions' sound is of a garage band with surf roots performing popular covers including 'Long Tall Sally', 'Money', 'Moon Dog', 'Love Potion Number Nine', 'What'd I Say', 'Jack The Ripper' and of course 'Louie Louie'.

On the Jim and The Lords tracks - 'Little Olive', 'I'm Free', 'I'm Down' and 'Too Many People' - the surf influences are replaced by raw harmonica and a raucous punk style ala Stones and Seeds. A folk-rock lilt on 'I'm Free' marks another development since the March sessions.
The sound quality is surprisingly good considering the source. With previously unseen photos this is a must-have for any Prunes fan.(Vernon Joyhnson/Max Waller in Fuzz, Acid And Flowers)

This is surely for fans of the band but it's interesting to see the development of the band from this to the songs of her debut album.

Enjoy
         Frank    Flac & mp3@320

The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) (1967) (2000 Rhino Special Products, Collectors' Choice Music) Flac & mp3@320

As the throbbing buzz of Ken Williams' tremolo-laden fuzztone guitar creeps from one side of the stereo spectrum to the other, the Electric Prunes kick off their debut album with their first (and biggest) hit single, and if Electric Prunes: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) never hits the high point of its title track again, the next 11 songs confirm that these guys were in the first echelon of American garage bands of the '60s. In the grand tradition of most garage rock albums, the best tracks on this disc are the singles, which along with the title track include "Get Me to the World on Time" and the surprisingly effective B-sides "Luvin'" and "Are You Loving Me More (But Enjoying It Less)," but the other tunes are more than just filler.

On nearly every song, Williams and fellow guitarists Weasel Spagnola and Jim Lowe spin a web of gloriously strange sounds, making the most of a battery of stomp boxes, and bassist Mark Tulin and drummer Preston Ritter provide a solid, percolating backdrop for their faux-psychedelic soundscapes. Producer David Hassinger would in time become a bad guy in the Electric Prunes' story, but on these sessions he gives them a great studio sound, specious but full of details, and at its best this album does as well by its three-guitar team as Moby Grape's epochal debut. And if songs like the weepy soft rock number "Onie," the phony Brit-folk of "The King Is in the Counting House" and the goofball nostalgia of "Toonerville Trolly" suggest Hassinger didn't always know what sort of material to fit with the band (who were only allowed to record two of their own songs), the Prunes rise to the occasion no matter what's thrown at them (and Jim Lowe's vocal suggests he knew just how ridiculous "Toonerville Trolly" would sound). While the Sonics and the Litter made more consistent albums, few if any bands from the '60s garage came up with a sound as distinctive as the Electric Prunes, and they got it on tape with striking success on I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night). [The album was also released with two bonus tracks: "Ain't It Hard" and "Little Oliver."]

As you see this is not from the ''Original Album Series'' (5 disc release by Rhino from 2013). I posted ''Underground'' some days ago from that series and will post the other four as well. Just for information.
This is the debut album and it is a very strong effort. To me only two weaker songs here ( ''About a quarter to nine'' and ''Tunerville Trolley''. Too much Vaudeville in my taste.) Both bonus tracks "Ain't It Hard" and "Little Oliver" are very good stuff as well.
Enjoy
          Frank  Flac  &  mp3@320

Randy & The Radiants ‎– Memphis Beat - The Sun Recordings 1964-1966 (2007 Big Beat) Flac & mp3@320

Randy Haspel was a 16-year-old kid whose band the Radiants played dances and frat parties in Memphis, TN when one day, a fan at a show offered to introduce the band to his father. The fan was Knox Phillips, and his father, Sam Phillips, happened to run Sun Records, the legendary independent label that gave the world Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and many other trailblazing acts. Randy & the Radiants recorded for Sun during the label's waning days in the mid-'60s, with Sam Phillips producing most of their sessions, and Memphis Beat, which collects two dozen of the band's Sun sides, documents a curious time and place where the influences of the British Invasion and the garage rock explosion were being felt at the house that rockabilly built.

On record, Randy & the Radiants sounded significantly tighter and more professional than the average teenage band of the era, and they had an outstanding songwriter in guitarist Bob Simon, though Phillips occasionally prodded them to cover the likes of "Boppin' the Blues" and "Blue Suede Shoes," and they also tackled a few blues numbers and British Invasion hits.

 Haspel and his bandmates had a strong knack for harmonies, and there are moments on Memphis Beat where the Radiants sound like the lost middle ground between blue-eyed soul and the Hollies, but oddly enough Phillips' production, for which the band is best remembered today, doesn't often suit the band especially well, making them sound looser and less disciplined than they really were and sometimes making the group vocals sound mushy.

Still, as a document of Memphis' Anglophile underground in its infancy, this is fascinating stuff, and the best tunes -- the local hits "My Way of Thinking" and "Truth from My Eyes" -- suggest they could have matured into one of the great bands of the garage era if college and the draft hadn't stalled their progress in 1966.(allmusic)

These guys were really great. A lot fine stuff on this recordings. ''Nobody Walks Out On Me'', Be Good While I'm Gone'', To Seek And Then Find'' just to name three of a bunch of songs who shows what had could be. Highly recommend!
Enjoy
          Frank   Flac p1   &  Flac p2     - mp3@320