Psych /
Snowbug
After the high times and critical-mass arrangements of the previous two records, Snowbug exuded a breezy, spare, morning-after vibe. Edified by all manner of world-folk, classic Brazilian pop and the first volumes of the Ethiopiques comp, the Llamas recorded in London with Fulton Dingley and in Chicago with Bundy Brown and Jim O’Rourke engineering at Electrical Audio and John McEntire mixing at Soma. Snowbug is an understated, underrated gem.
Cold And Bouncy
Having passed – at least figuratively – through hundreds of years over the course of their previous two albums, the good ship High Llamas docked, fully loaded, into a congenial present moment for once in its life. O’Hagan’s continued work with Tim Gane and Stereolab caused a healthy dose of electronica to spike the Llamas’ already heady brew, creating an apex of late 90s-style neo-exotica. RIYL: Mouse On Mars, Oval, Grand Royal, Dots and Loops.
Hawaii
The High Llamas discover America – yes, it had been done before, but not via their envisaged pilgrims’ passage. Energized by the breakthroughs of Gideon Gaye, they went all-in, producing a wide-screen epic further exploring their unique agenda. The reference points multiplied, stretching through realms of classic pop and jazz, soundtrack music, exotica and neo-Americana, while charting a journey through musical landscapes of abiding lightness.
Gideon Gaye
This brave foray into conceptual art music produced a jaw-dropping reset on the 20th century pop perspective. The High Llamas engaged songwriting and production with an eye toward filmmaking. Digging through ephemera of choice vintages with post-modern zest, they struck a rich vein they could call their own – a kind of gothic Americana, formal aspects pushed to extremes. The spirit of discovery here can be vibrantly felt over 30 years later.
Santa Barbara
*1st ever LP pressing!* For The Llamas’ 1992 debut, Sean O’Hagan, working the sextant to navigate a post-Microdisney course in the musical world, posted them up as a guitar pop band (RIYL: NRBQ, Big Star, Steely Dan), with nine exquisitely crafted examples of the oft out-of-step sound. Had there been no more after this, Santa Barbara would still be sought-after buried treasure by the perennial waves of voyagers seeking these sweet, jangling spices to this very day.
Monster A Go-Go (Teen Trash From Psychedelic Tokyio '66-'69)
Sought-after compilation exploring the Group Sound movement that swept Japan in the mid 1960s. Under the influence of the Beatles dozens of Japanese bands devoted themselves to exporting a wide genre that ranged from surf-rock, garage fuzz, psych and wild R&B. Featuring the influential The Mops, the Filipino band (relocated to Hong Kong) D’Swooners and The Golden Cups.
Fresh Maggots... Hatched
"There are no weak links on this consistent album, which is thoroughly recommended." - The Tapestry Of Delights
Dragon Man
"Only a decade ago Leong Lau remained a well-hidden Malaysian-Australian treasure, known only to small circles of Australian record collectors. In 2013 we met Leong in person at the Brisbane state library, where after a long and somewhat transcendental ‘conversation’ received his blessings to re-release his music. In 2014, we reissued his sophomore album ‘That Rongeng Sound’ and later in 2021, his sole single ‘Late Night Flyer. In 2024, we are going back to finish the triangle of Leong releases,…
Take A Picture
Take A Picture is Margo Guryan’s one and done classic — one of record collecting’s real unheralded masterpieces — bright, breezy, lightly psychedelic, and utterly cosmopolitan, recorded in New York City no less. Newly restored by Jessica Thompson from the original two-track safety masters, this beguilingly melodic 1968 pop tour-de-force has never sounded better.
Spooky Two
"Spooky Two is this British blues-rock band's pièce de résistance. All eight of the tracks compound free-styled rock and loose-fitting guitar playing, resulting in some fantastic raw music … their smooth, relaxed tempos and riffs mirrored bands like Savoy Brown and, at times, even the Yardbirds … Although Spooky Tooth lasted about seven years, their other albums never really contained the same passion or talented collaborating by each individual musician as Spooky Two." - Mike DeGagne
معليش = Malesch
Their debut, pensive and relaxed. A masterpiece, originally released on Vertigo. A vinyl re-release of the debut-album by legendary krautrock avant garde band Agitation Free. "Not willing to compromise, and heavily into the avant-garde (many members studied with the influential Thomas Kessler) it took a long while until Agitation Free got an album out. By that time they had developed a cosmic styled rock with a strong ethnic element. Although in the spirit of Ash Ra Tempel and Pink Floyd, they h…
Solar Motel (Expanded)
*2024 repress* Over the last two decades Philadelphia-based guitarist Chris Forsyth has released over a dozen critically lauded albums that have established him as one of today’s most unique and acclaimed guitar player /composers – a forward-thinking classicist synthesizing cinematic expansiveness with a pithy lyricism and rhythmic directness that makes even his 20-minute workouts feel as clear, direct, and memorable as a 4-minute song. In retrospect, Forsyth’s career can be divided into two per…
Sagan Om Ringen
One of the most famous artists that came to light from the Swedish underground scene is the keyboardist Bo Hansson. His album "Lord of the Rings" inspired by the book of the same name remains a staple for all the freaks of the seventies and was internationally successful. "Lord Of The Rings" or "Sagam Om Ringen" remains a pre new age masterpiece of instrumental music for the mind, with splendid moog and organ releases, which underline Hansson's jazz origin, for four years and only until the firs…
Picchio Dal Pozzo
2022 Repress. "One of the most original, impressive and highly respected of all the experimental groups to have come out of Italy in the 1970s." - Chris Cutler. "Picchio dal Pozzo can be considered as the definitive 'Canterbury' inspired band, coming from Italy's 1970s progressive rock scene. Their 1976 debut album shows an incredibly rich sound texture, made out of some peculiar musical ingredients. Oblique tunes and liquid harmonies, airy flutes, crispy horns, loads of electric piano, fuzz bas…
The Truth
If you face a „Jesus“ look-alike in a white robe with an acoustic guitar and a beard in full blossom on the cover of a record you know you’re on the trail of a real oddity, in whatever way it might be. Then you check the name and it says D.R. Hooker on the cover. Is it his name or is he a doctor who cures prostitutes, so called “hookers” ? What is this all about? With a bit of effort you may find out that this is the name of a musician from the Connecticut scene of the early 70s and that he gath…
Gandalf
Hailing from Uppsala, cultural powerhouse and home to some of the finest prog/psych outfits, such as San Michael’s, Kaipa, Algarnas Tradgard, Trad, Gras och Stenar, Gandalf’s sole album, and Pokora 4-star rated, ranks among the rarest and incredibly hard to find Swedish psych/prog gems. You’re in for a resourceful blend of acid-drenched psychedelia, alternating with prog movements that bear the mark of emergent and sedimented styles of its era.
This is no ordinary Gandalf, but a booze-suffused h…
Desert Places
Satin Whale was a German progressive rock band, which formed in the early 1970s, known for their intricate compositions and a sound that blended elements of rock, jazz, and symphonic music. The band gained a reputation for their technical proficiency and ability to weave together complex musical passages with melodic sensibilities, characteristic of the progressive rock genre during that era.
Their debut album, Desert Places, was released on the Brain label in 1974. This album is a hallmark of t…
Stop Look And Listen
Epitaph is a German rock band that originated in Dortmund in 1969. They are known for their blend of progressive rock, hard rock, and early heavy metal, creating a sound that combines intricate guitar work with strong melodies and harmonies. The band gained a following in the 1970s, particularly in Germany and parts of Europe, where they became known for their dynamic live performances and solid musicianship.
Their second studio album, Stop, Look and Listen, was released on Polydor in 1972. This…
Epitaph
Epitaph is a German progressive rock band formed in Dortmund in 1969. Known for
blending elements of hard rock, progressive rock, and early heavy metal, Epitaph
carved out a unique niche in the early 1970s rock scene. Their music often features
complex compositions, melodic guitar work, and strong vocal harmonies, reflecting
the influence of both British and American rock.
Their self-titled debut album, Epitaph, was released on the Polydor label in 1971.
The album showcases the band’s early sou…
You Are Here... I Am There
The overall atmosphere and aura of You Are Here... I Am There points at the influences of American jazz musicians such as John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, and Charles Mingus. The record shows a strong tendency, however, towards a distinctive sound that was, at the time, new, embraced by musicians such as Jan Garbarek and Ian Carr. Above all, Keith Tippett's compositional style bears traces of the artist's classical training, unveiled by his harmonic and dynamic awareness and careful balance between …