BRUCE COCKBURN 1969

Bruce Cockburn (prounced Co-burn) got started in 1969 when Neil Young canceled his headliner slot at Canada's Mariposa Folk Festival to appear at Woodstock. His knotty, fascinating blend of folk, jazz, and rock, blending progressive and Christian themes, quickly gained a following in Canada, and he had hits stateside with "Wondering Where the Lions Are," "If I Had a Rocket Launcher," and "Waiting for a Miracle." The diverse list of artists who've recorded Coburn's songs also includes Barenaked Ladies ("Lovers in a Dangerous Time"), Jimmy Buffett (no fewer than four times), the Jerry Garcia Band, and Ani DiFranco. Cockburn's work since the 1980s has been staunchly political and, in recent years, globally oriented in its musical approach.








Tracks :

1 Going to the Country (3:15)
2 Thoughts on a Rainy Afternoon (3:48)
3 Together Alone (2:50)
4 The Bicycle Trip (4:11)
5 The Thirteenth Mountain (4:48)
6 Musical Friends (2:58)
7 Change Your Mind (2:26)
8 Man of a Thousand Faces (5:42)
9 Spring Song (5:02)
10 Keep it Open (1:51)


Artwork Included

CAROLE KING - TAPESTRY 1971

Carole King brought the fledgling singer/songwriter phenomenon to the masses withTapestry, one of the most successful albums in pop music history. A remarkably expressive and intimate record, it's a work of consummate craftsmanship. Always a superior pop composer, King reaches even greater heights as a performer; new songs like the hits "It's Too Late" and "I Feel the Earth Move" rank solidly with past glories, while songs like "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" take on added resonance when delivered in her own warm, compelling voice. With its reliance on pianos and gentle drumming, Tapestry is a light and airy work on its surface, occasionally skirting the boundaries of jazz, but it's also an intensely emotional record, the songs confessional and direct; in its time it connected with listeners like few records before it, and it remains an illuminating experience decades later.

Tracks :

1.I Feel The Earth Move

2.So Far Away

3.It's Too Late

4.Home Again

5.Beautiful

6.Way Over Yonder

7.You've Got A Friend

8.Where You Lead

9.Will You Love Me Tomorrow

10.Smackwater Jack

11.Tapestry

12.You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman

Artwork Included

ANDREAS VOLLENWEIDER - BEHIND THE GARDEN - BEHIND THE WALL - UNDER THE TREE 1981

Behind the Gardens is a studio album by New Age artist Andreas Vollenweider, released in 1981. It is almost entirely instrumental, and centers around Vollenweider on harp.

While not literally Vollenweider's first album, "Behind the Gardens" is widely regarded as such because it was his breakthrough album, gaining him wide recognition. The earlier and more obscure "Eine Art Suite in XIII Teilen" (An Art Suite in 13 Parts), 1979, remains available chiefly online, while "Behind the Gardens" can still be readily found in music stores worldwide.

The contemplative and moving second track, "Pyramid," is a favorite of fans and has become a concert staple, always garnering applause when the first harp notes are played.

While the album originally stood on its own, in 1990 it and the two following albums (Caverna Magica and White Winds) were re-released as a two-CD set entitled "Trilogy," suggesting they collectively constituted a single musical entity.

The full titles of the first two albums lend creedance to the suggestion that the three albums are thematically connected. The full title of the first album is "Behind the Gardens-Behind the Wall-Under the Tree..." The ellipsis at the end suggests a continuation. The full title of the next album is "Caverna Magica (...Under the Tree - In the Cave...)" The first ellipsis, followed by the repetition of "Under the Tree" from the first album title, clearly indicates a continuation. The second ellipsis suggests another continuation, which would turn out to be "White Winds (Seeker's Journey)." The last track on the White Winds album is entiled "Trilogy (At The White Magic Gardens) & The White Winds".

The title of the first album "is like giving someone directions: "You will find us behind The Garden, behind The Wall, under The Tree...", Vollenweider is quoted as saying on his official web site, http://www.vollenweider.com.^[1]

The title of the second album apparently indicates a continuation of those directions: Under the tree you'll find a magic cavern. This magic cavern could be a metaphor for the recording site. This is borne out by the rest of the Vollenweider quote: "Recording this album we worked completely cut off from the world, in the cellars of the Sinus Studios in Bern (capital of Vollenweider's native Switzerland), which are more than 300 years old. In the shelter of this creative "womb", it was easy to lose track of time and space."

Sinus "was a small, underground studio," stated an article in the April 2003 edition of Mojo magazine, quoted at http://www.higgs1.demon.co.uk/barritt/mojo.htm. "It was entered by wooden shutters in the pavement above, which gave the impression of entering a crypt."^[2]

Tracks :

1. Behind the Gardens-Behind the Wall-Under the Tree
2. Pyramid-In the Wood-In the Bright Light
3. Micro-Macro
4. Skin and Skin
5. Moonlight, Wrapped Around Us
6. Lion and Sheep
7. Sunday
8. Afternoon
9. Hands and Clouds



Artwork Included

HEDGE & DONNA (aka LOVE ) 1968

Hedge & Donna is gentle, soulful harmony and musical beauty of the late sixties and early seventies at its best. Their trace however in our days is surprisingly very hard to find despite their outstanding contribution to music.

Their legacy of great albums remains unissued in CD.



Tracks :


A1 Can You Hear Me 3:02
A2 Lace Child 2:10
A3 Sea Gull 3:12
A4 Catch The Wind 2:15
A5 Wings 2:54
B1 I've Got A Long Way To Go 2:47
B2 Long Dark Road 2:58
B3 Midnight (All The Songs Have Been Sung) 2:24
B4 I Want You To Want Me 2:34
B5 Follow 5:00



Artwork Included

THE RFD - LEAD ME HOME 1971

I once read that the time when there were the most active bands in the US was 1967, right after the release of Sgt. Peppers. Basically, everyone heard that record and started a band. Literally, everyone. If that's a true statistic or an urban legend I'm not sure, but each month there are more reissues of late '60s "Private Press" records. Amazing unearthed artifacts of raw obscurities and dog-eared jams by bands that never made it out of the basement, let alone their hometowns. The RFD's Lead Me Home is a standout example of a truly sick private press record in the ways it both follows the aesthetic of this phenomenon and also befuddles. Okay, under 500 copies originally released on a private label in 1971? Check. Ridiculous non-self conscious band name (RFD stood for "Russ, Fred and Dan", the founding members of the group)? Check. Tripped-out record cover, low-budget home recording, naive lyrics shouldered in astute-yet-understated mellow acid folk songs? All this checks out, but the RFD was also apparently a Christian rock band? Lead track "He Is Coming" fits the mold perfectly for a sub-categorical d.i.y./post-Byrds/stoned at home jam except for the male/female reverb-touched harmonies about Christ "coming in his golden glory." Oh, yeah, a lady named Debbie adds a lot to the record but somehow she and drummer Larry got left out of the acronym. Despite the possible conflict between the heavily hippie/drugged-out underpinnings of the album and the Christian need to walk a straight and narrow path, there also seems to be a conflict in the songs between God's glory and a deep sense of Vietnam-era alienation. Simply stated tunes like "Why Do I Feel Alone?" and "On the Outside Looking In" don't do a lot to obfuscate this theme. Much like the Tony Caro & John record, another stunning private press item that found wider re-release a few years back, the RFD finds textures and ideas that would have been impossible within the confines of record labels, professional equipment and legitimate studios, even in 1971. There's a sense of passion and excitement that's unique to the homespun world of self-edited, self-informed, self-everything songwriting. Contradictions abound and those confounding moments are some of the best parts.

-Fred Thomas (September 26, 2008)

A really groovy early 70s spiritual folk rock record from RFD – with emotionally resonant male & female vocals – and lightly rollicking backdrop of guitar, bass & drums. There's kind of a mix of east coast and west coast folk rock influences – the harmonies have a Byrdsy quality, but the acoustic guitar playing has the feel of east coast troubadours. Quiet and a little eerie in a way, and an all around enjoyable rarity worth checking out! Titles include "He Is Coming", "Loner", "Why Do I Feel Alone", "Take Time", "It Seems", "Rap It Out" and more. (Limited edition.)

Tracks :

He is Coming
Why Do I Feel Alone
Back Into My Mind
Loner
Lead Me Home
Take Time
No Man is a Mountain
Long Time in the Rain
It Seems
On the Outside Looking In
Rap It Out



Artwork Included

WONDROUS STORIES: A COMPLETE INTRODUCTION TO PROGRESSIVE ROCK 2010

Progressive Rock is one of the most loved and frequently debated of all musical genres. This 52 track collection is a worthy addition to Universal's much-loved A Complete Introduction To Series. Compliled by Jerry Ewing, the editor of Classic Prog magazine, it takes us on a magical, leisurely journey through the corners of this wondrous genre.

For those who think it's all about pixies and trippy guitar solos, think again (although both of those are here). Wiondrous Stories: A Complete Introduction To Progressive Rock boasts brand new cover art by Roger Dean, designer of the legendary 'Yes' logo, bd som eof teh most influential album sleeves of all time. It is the sister voluime to the 2-CD album, 'Wondrous Stories', yet only a couple of tracks double on both. ~ Amazon








Tracklist CD1:

01 Sam Gopal / Season Of The Witch
02 Colosseum / Walking In The Park
03 Nucleus / Song For The Bearded Lady
04 Van Der Graaf Generator / Darkness II/II
05 Comus / Diana
06 Jethro Tull / Aqualung
07 Atomic Rooster / Devil's Answer
08 Dr. Z / Evil Woman's Manly Child
09 Jan Dukes De Grey / Mice And Rats In The Loft
10 Curved Air / Back Street Love
11 Yes / Roundabout
12 Caravan / Golf Girl
13 Aprhodite's Child / The Four Horsemen



Tracklist CD2:

01 ELP / From The Beginning
02 Mike Oldfield / Tubular Bells
03 Gong / Oily Way
04 Rare Bird / Epic Forest
05 Beggars Opera / MacArthur Park
06 Gentle Giant / In A Glass House
07 Magna Carta / Lord Of Ages
08 Gryphon / Opening Move
09 Fruupp / The Seventh Secret
10 Supertramp / School
11 Riск Wakeman / Merlin The Magician
12 Barclay James Harvest / Child Of The Universe

Tracklist CD3:

01 Yes / Wondrous Stories
02 Steve Hillage / Hurdy Gurdy Man
03 Camel / Air Born
04 ELP / Fanfare For The Common Man
05 Rush / A Farewell To Kings
06 Manfred Mann's Earth Band / The Mighty Quinn
07 Jon Anderson / Some Are Born
08 Barclay James Harvest / Mocking Bird
09 Camel / Sasquatch
10 Mike Oldfield / Five Miles Out
11 Jethro Tull / Pussy Willow
12 Emerson, Lake & Powell / Touch & Go
13 The Moody Blues / I Know You're Out There Somewhere
14 Marillion / Jigsaw



Tracklist CD4:

01 Pallas / Eyes In The Night
02 Rush / The Weapon
03 It Bites / The Old Man And The Angel
04 World Trade / The Moment Is Here
05 Dream Theater / Pull Me Under
06 Queensryche / I Am I
07 Opeth / The Drapery Falls
08 Spock's Beard / Stranger In A Strange Land
09 Coheed & Cambria / Ten Speed (Of Gods Blood & Burial)
10 The Reasoning / Awakening
11 The Mars Volta / Since We've Been Wrong
12 Eureka / Going Home
13 IQ / Frequency

BLACK OAK ARKANSAS 1971

The group, originally called "The Knowbody Else", was formed in 1965 in Black Oak, Arkansas, by Ronnie "chicky Hawk Smith (vocals), Rickie Reynolds (guitar), Stanley Knight (guitar), Harvey Jett (guitar), Pat Daugherty (bass), and Wayne Evans (drums). Their first PA system was stolen from a local high school. Members of the group were subsequently charged in absentia with grand larceny and sentenced to 26 years at the Tucker Prison Farm (this sentence was later suspended). This led to their retreat to the hills of rural northeast Arkansas where they lived off the land and refined their musical style.^{[citation needed]} They also lived in Long Beach, Mississippi and played at the local Lobe theater/dance hall. Some of their influences during this time were the Beatles and the Byrds. At some point the band and Ronnie "Chickey Hawk Smith agreed that a mutual friend named James "Jim Dandy" Mangrum would make a better front man, Ronnie Smith agreed that he would make a better stage production manager.

The Knowbody Else moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1969 and signed a record deal with Stax Records. Their self-titled debut album, and their only album with Stax, was largely ignored by the populace. During this time the band became interested in psychedelia and Eastern spiritualism which, combined with their Southern Baptist upbringing, contributed to their sound.

After several trips to Los Angeles, California, in 1970, the band was signed by Atco Records (whose parent label Atlantic Records once had a partnership with Stax) and rechristened "Black Oak Arkansas". Their self-titled debut album Black Oak Arkansas was released in 1971 while the band toured extensively, gaining a reputation as a live act. The twin album releases that followed in 1972, Keep the Faith and If an Angel Came to See You, Would You Make Her Feel at Home, expanded on the group’s eclectic musical style.

In 1973, Black Oak Arkansas released their fourth album Raunch 'N' Roll Live and introduced a new drummer, Tommy Aldridge. It was their fifth album High on the Hog, released later that year, that established solid commercial success by peaking at number 52 on the Billboard albums chart. Vocalist Ruby Starr also toured with the band during this period. Her raspy voice can be heard on the group's remake of LaVern Baker's 1957 hit "Jim Dandy," which reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The band played at the famous California Jam festival in Ontario, California on April 6, 1974. Attracting over 200,000 fans, appearing alongside 70's rock giants Black Sabbath, Eagles, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Deep Purple, Earth, Wind & Fire, Seals and Crofts and Rare Earth. Portions of the show were telecast on ABC Television in the US, exposing the band to a wider audience.

Also the 1974 release, "Street Party", may have failed to maintain the momentum; however, another 1974 release entitled "Early Times", an overlooked Stax recording, made up for lost time. In 1976 the original lineup of Black Oak Arkansas (minus Harvey Jett, who was replaced by Jimmy Henderson) released their last album, Balls of Fire. A new version of the band called "Black Oak" was formed in 1977 around Jim "Dandy" Mangrum and Jimmy Henderson. Greg Reding (guitar and keyboards), Jack Holder (guitar), Andy Tanas (bass), and Joel Williams (drums) participated on the two Capricorn albums which were recorded in 1977 (Race with the Devil) and 1978 (I'd Rather Be Sailing.) In 1978, guitarist Shawn Lane joined the band at age 14 and toured with the band for four years.

Released in 1984, Ready, as Hell debuted a heavier sound with pinch harmonics and keyboards featured throughout. The album also marked the return of Rickie Lee Reynolds on rhythm guitar. In 1986, The Black Attack Is Back continued the heavy style of the previous album and featured the particularly adventurous track "I Want A Woman With Big Titties". Despite that lack of subtlety, the album is regarded by many as the finest of the band's long career, with arguably the most talented lineup to date. Still, it made no commercial headway.

James Mangrum has continued recording and touring with a series of different Black Oak lineups up to present day. Black Oak Arkansas currently enjoys a loyal fan following. However, the later lineups have yet to duplicate the level of album sales that the original lineup generated in the early-mid 1970s. Jim Dandy is credited with inspiring Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth's image and onstage persona as well. In addition, in the 1980's former Maine State Representative Chris Greeley once 'opened' for them as a member of the rock band Toyz.

Tracks :

1. Uncle Lijiah
2. Memories at the Window
3. The Hills of Arkansas
4. I Could Love You
5. Hot and Nasty
6. Singing the Blues
7. Lord Have Mercy on My Soul
8. When the electricity came to Arkansas

WIGWAM - NUCLEAR NIGHTCLUB 1975

When Finnish band Wigwam signed with England's Virgin label in 1974, it was an indication they wanted international success, and Nuclear Nightclub, the first fruit, showed they'd changed enough to hopefully achieve it. This reissue of that disc, with seven bonus tracks, highlights the wonderfully idiosyncratic songs from the pen of Irish keyboard player/vocalist Jim Pembroke, backed up with some superb, tight musicianship. "Tram Driver," a single, never hit the charts, but still sounded good with its maddening chorus of "tram driver," while the title track offered quirky prog lounge music for a new generation. The band toned down the extended pieces and instrumentals that had featured heavily on its previous albums in favor of new work like "Freddie Are You Ready" (more catchiness) and "Save My Money and My Name," while the playing on "Do or Die" highlighted the chops without the tedium. In many ways they allied themselves to the British Canterbury Scene, especially Caravan, with a strong sense of the absurd, a good sense of the pop songs -- choruses always featured heavily -- and a deftness and lightness of touch that was never more in evidence than on this record. Why it never broke through remains a sad mystery; they certainly deserved better, and this expanded edition of what may well be their finest album (outside of a greatest-hits package only available in Finland) does them and their lovely little ways full justice. ~ Chris Nickson

Tracks :

1. Nuclear nightclub (2:45)
2. Freddie are you ready (5:36)
3. Bless your lucky stars (5:58)
4. Kite (4:15)
5. Do or die (5:03)
6. Simple human kindness (4:02)
7. Save my money and my name (4:07)
8. Pig storm (4:39)

ALEX CAMPBELL, ALAN ROBERTS & DOUGIE MaCLEAN - CRM 1979

Alex Campbell was one of Scotland's best-loved wandering minstrels. Learning the art of busking while traveling with American folk singers Derroll Adams and Ramblin' Jack Elliott during the late '50s, he continued to perform a mixture of traditional Scottish tunes, American work songs, spirituals, and ballads until his death in 1987. He played an important role in introducing the songs of Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, and Woody Guthrie to audiences in England and the Celtic Isles. Campbell moved to Denmark in the 1960s, settling first in Skagen and then in Tonder. For a brief period, Campbell was married to American folk singer, Peggy Seeger. In 2003, Storyville Records issued both In Copenhagen and At the Tivoli Gardens for the first time on CD. ~ Craig Harris, AllMusic

This has him in a different environment with two other capable musicians doing traditional arrangements. Most of MacLean's later work is his own brilliant compositions and guitar work.
One of the best.

Tracks :


1. The trooper and the maid (3:03)
2. I lo'e nae a lassie but ane (4:15)
3. Jute mill song (2:51)
4. Her fa la la lo (4:03)
5. Wha widna fecht for Charlie (1:40)
6. Leis a lurighan (2:49)
7. Bonnie Mary (3:24)
8. Rattlin' roarin' Willie (2:44)
9. John Anderson, my Jo (4:49)
10. Miss Elspeth Campbell/ Alick C. MacGregor (2:09)
11. Jock Stewart (4:42)
12. Little song (0:31)

DOUGIE MACLEAN - SNAIGOW 1980

Dougie MacLean is one of Scotland's premier singer/songwriters. A past member of the Tannahill Weavers and Silly Wizard, MacLean has used his songs, including "Caledonia," "The Singing Land," and "Solid Ground," to capture the natural beauty of his hometown on the border between the Highlands and the Valley of Strathmore.

MacLean first attracted attention as a teenager when he formed a band with future Silly Wizard members Andy Stewart and Martin Hadden. While performing as a street musician in Kinross in 1974, MacLean was invited to join the Tannahill Weavers. He remained with the group for three years before he moved to Germany and launched his solo career. For a while, MacLean also performed in a trio with Alex Campbell and Alan Roberts. MacLean's breakthrough came with the release of the album Caledonia in 1979. Returning to Scotland in 1980, he spent six months as the replacement for fiddler Johnny Cunningham in Silly Wizard. Although he temporarily returned to the Tannahill Weavers, he resumed his solo career in 1981.

In addition to his busy schedule as a touring singer/songwriter, MacLean has been an influential record executive, having founded Dunkeld recording studios and record label with his wife, Jennifer, in 1983. Among the many tradition-rooted Scottish musicians who have recorded for the label, whose slogan is "Scotland's new heritage music," are Sheena Wellington, David Allison, Gordon Duncan, Hamish Moore, and Frieda Morrison.

A tour of the United States in 1989 was conducted in conjunction with Fiona Ritchie's National Public Radio show, Thistle & Shamrock. The following year, MacLean returned to the U.S. for a 17-concert tour with other Dunkeld artists. In 1995, MacLean played guitar and sang harmony on country artist Kathy Mattea's Good News album and toured as the opening act for Mattea's North American tour. Several of MacLean's songs were heard on the soundtrack of the film The Last of the Mohicans. In 1993, MacLean served as music director of the TAG Theater Company's production of A Scots Quair. A 40-minute documentary on MacLean's life and music, The Land: The Songs of Dougie MacLean was aired by the BBC.

Tracks from MacLean's three albums on the Plant Life label were assembled on the 1997 album The Plant Life Years. A sampling of tunes from MacLean's albums on Dunkeld were included on the 1995 album The Dougie MacLean Collection. MacLean's subsequent noteworthy releases have included Riof (1997), Perthshire Amber and Live from the Ends of the Earth (both 2000), Who Am I (2002), Inside the Thunder (2006), and the limited-edition EP Muir of Gormack (2007).

~ Craig Harris, AllMusic

Tracks :

1) Rolling Home
2) King's Command
3) Mill Brae - Lassies, Trust in Providence - Bonnie Isle o' Whalsay
4) Northern Cowboy
5) Back to the Island
6) Silently Sad
7) Heiland Harry
8) Ye Banks and Braes o' Bonnie Doon
9) John McColl's Reel - Alex Campbell's Reel
10) Loch Tay Boat Song