Them - Now And Them (1968)

Year: January 1968 (CD 2003)
Label: Rev-Ola (UK), CR REV 29
Style: Rock, Psychedelic Rock
Country: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Time: 40:20
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 265 Mb

After Van Morrison left Them, you might have expected the band to quietly disappear. What you didn’t expect was a psychedelic album featuring a nine-minute Indian raga and trippy songs like “Truth Machine” and “Walking In The Queen’s Garden.” Now And Them is a radical shift from the band’s R&B origins; in truth, the band reinvented themselves after Van’s departure. Here, they take on psychedelic blues (John Mayall’s “I’m Your Witch Doctor”) and pop (“You’re Just What I Was Looking For Today,” “I Happen To Love You”), plus a few originals that reveal a heretofore undiscovered talent for psychedelic rock. The new vocalist, Kenny McDowell, won’t make you forget about Van Morrison, but he’s a legitimate singer, versus, say, having one of the other members take on the role. New drummer Dave Harvey is another solid addition and wastes little time making a good impression, giving his kit a sound thrashing on the opening “Witch Doctor.” Unfortunately, Van took most of the eyes and ears with him, and not a lot of folks stuck around to hear/see Them’s second act. These days, Now And Them is best appreciated as a psychedelic artifact (one that XTC seems to have dug, judging by “Your Gold Dress”). Whether the band really did have a psychedelic conversion of heart or whether it was just a fashionable costume change, I couldn’t tell you. Them were hardly the only R&B act to go psychedelic (I was originally going to kronomyth this “Thempathy for the Devil”). I won’t kid you, Van Morrison’s Blowin’ Your Mind is the better album, but Now And Them is a pleasant, mind-expanding addendum from the rest of Them.
(progrography.com/them/them-now-and-them-1968/)

01. I'm Your With Doctor (02:39)

02. What's The Matter Baby (02:45)

03. Truth Machine (02:09)

04. Square Room (09:59)

05. You're Just What I Was Looking For Today (02:57)

06. Dirty Old Man (At The Age Of Sixteen) (01:47)

07. Nobody Loves You When You're Down And Out (03:35)

08. Walking In The Queen's Garden (03:06)

09. I Happen To Love You (02:57)

10. Come To Me (02:24)

11. Walking In The Queen's Garden (Mono Single Mix) (03:04)

12. I Happen To Love You (Mono Single Mix) (02:54)

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Mad Dog - 617 (1977)

Year: 1977 (CD 2005)
Label: Mr. Nobody Records (????), MN 003
Style: Hard Rock, Rock
Country: Bay City, Michigan, U.S.
Time: 43:11
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 287 Mb

Formed in Bay City, Michigan, in the early 1970s, the power trio Mad Dog developed its unique style of hard rock in the basement of a family home and later in a rented warehouse near the banks of the Saginaw River. Although their only vinyl release was an independently released album, the band played its original material regularly at clubs, bars, road houses, high school dances, and festivals for a decade before finally disbanding.
The Charlebois brothers, Joe (1954) and Bob (1957) were born at Mercy Hospital in Bay City, the very same hospital where singing star Madonna was born in 1958. The brothers grew up in the Banks area on the city’s West Side. Although their parents did not play musical instruments, they listened to records of popular singers like Frank Sinatra, so there was always music around the Charlebois house.
The brothers credit their oldest sister Cindy as an early inspiration. She was a folk music fan and exposed them to the artists she liked. Joe recalled that Cindy bought Joe his very first album, “Got Live If You Want It” by the Rolling Stones. She also brought the first musical instrument into the Charlebois home when she used babysitting money to purchase a piano.
Cindy, who was crowned Miss Bay County in 1964, opened the eyes of her brothers in another way when they saw her on stage, getting all that attention and having her photo in the newspaper. It planted a seed in the minds of Joe and Bob, but the idea of forming a band together would be nine years in the future.
Joe Charlebois started his musical career wanting to play the saxophone. His parents sprang for lessons but he didn’t practice and the instrument soon fell by the wayside. Bob had originally wanted to play clarinet, but he recalled that when he went to his first music class at Lindsay School, he was the only student who did not have an instrument. That ended his school music career.
(full version - michiganrockandrolllegends.com/index.php/mrrl-hall-of-fame/349-mad-dog)

01. Goodnight (03:46)

02. Cold Steel (06:02)

03. Detroit Remabler (06:22)

04. Strange (06:11)

05. We'll Try (02:05)

06. Can You See (08:34)

07. Morroco (04:48)

08. Climbing (05:20)

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The Troggs - The Trogg Tapes (bootleg) (1970)

Year: 1970 (CD 2008)
Label: Repertoire Records (Germany), REP 5131
Style: Classic Rock, Garage Rock, Rock
Country: Hampshire, England
Time: 62:23
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 420 Mb

The Troggs Tapes is a bootleg recording of the English rock band the Troggs. It was originally recorded in 1970, and consists of band members arguing over the recording of a song, with frequent profanity. It has become one of the best-known spoken-word bootleg recordings, and influenced work such as the film This is Spinal Tap.
The argument was captured on tape by engineer Clive Franks with help of tape op Barry Sherlock, and made its way onto bootlegs in the early 1970s. The release gave the Troggs an infamous reputation, though it also raised their public profile. Though the band's career collapsed shortly after the session, it was revitalised by the bootleg's notoriety and led to the band reforming and becoming popular with punk rock audiences towards the end of the 1970s.
Presley was originally unhappy with the release, but later gave a positive opinion of it, saying that bands could listen to it as an example of why they should relax in the studio and not take things seriously.
In 2011, Uncut ranked The Troggs Tapes at number 50 in its list of "The 50 Best Bootlegs", deeming it "an hilarious, 12-minute swearathon" and comparing it to Orson Welles' complaints in Frozen Peas (1970), and Oasis' "Wibbling Rivalry" (1995).
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Troggs_Tapes)

01. Get You Tonight (02:48)

02. We Rode Through The Night (03:41)

03. A Different Me (03:33)

04. Down South To Georgia (03:48)

05. Gonna Make You (05:06)

06. Supergirl (02:39)

07. I'll Buy You An Island (04:27)

08. Rolling Stone (02:13)

09. After The Rain (02:49)

10. Rock & Roll Lady (03:01)

11. Walking The Dog (04:06)

12. I'll Buy You On Island (Single Version Bonus Track) (03:04)

13. Gonna Make You - Single Version (Bonus Track) (03:17)

14. Feeling For Love (Bonus Track) (03:13)

15. Just A Little Too Much (Bonus Track) (02:42)

16. Special Place (Bonus Track) (01:02)

17. Summertime (Bonus Track) (01:02)

18. The True Troggs Tapes (Bonus Track) (09:43)

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Focus - Ship Of Memories (1976)

Year: 1976 (CD 1988)
Label: EMI Records (Europe), CDM 7 48858 2
Style: Symphonic Rock, Art Rock
Country: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Time: 40:06
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 293 Mb

Ship of Memories is the sixth studio album from the Dutch rock band Focus, released in 1976 on EMI-Bovema. It's a compilation album. During a period of group inactivity, longtime associate Hubert Terheggen asked their producer Mike Vernon to select previously unreleased material for official release. Compiled without any active involvement by any band member, the recordings date from January 1970 to mid-1975, and largely during unproductive recording sessions in 1973 for a follow up studio album to Focus 3 (1972).
The first four songs were recorded in May 1973 at Chipping Norton Recording Studios in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. "P.'s March", though seemingly a pun on "peace march", was meant to be "Pierre's March" in honour of the drummer, Pierre van der Linden. The second, or "B" motif first appeared as a "B" motif in the song, "Carmen Elysium", on Thijs van Leer's "Introspection 2" album. Written in the classical style by Thijs van Leer, but performed with rock arrangements, this song alternates between uptempo, major key choruses, with melody stated on flute and piccolo, and minor key Bachian verses, with melody stated on electric guitar. "Can't Believe My Eyes", originally entitled "Can't Believe My Ears" and subtitled "Dance Macabre", is a bleak, hard rock instrumental written by Jan Akkerman. In stark contrast is van Leer's gentle jazz ballad "Focus V." "Out of Vesuvius" is an excerpt from a 1973 jam session, which would eventually evolve into a long composition like "Eruption". "Glider" marked a move into disco-funk territory, and was recorded in Brussels, Belgium with drum machine and electric sitar amongst the instrumentation. The song was later rearranged and recorded as "Mother Focus". "Red Sky at Night" features synthesised bass parts, and was recorded with vocals as "O Avondrood" (Oh Evening glow) on a Dutch music compilation. Recorded in 1970, "Spoke the Lord Creator" was the band's first attempt at using "Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn" in a rock music context. It was later recorded as "Starter" on the 1974 Hamburger Concerto album. "Crackers" is another disco-funk instrumental with extended chords more common to jazz. Lastly, "Ship of Memories" is an excerpt of an instrumental on drums and harmonium written and performed by Pierre van der Linden.
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Memories)

01. P's March (04:49)

02. Can't Believe My Eyes (05:23)

03. Focus V (03:03)

04. Out Of Vesuvius (05:51)

05. Glider (04:39)

06. Red Sky At Night (05:51)

07. Spoke The Lord Creator (02:33)

08. Crackers (02:43)

09. Ship Of Memories (01:47)

10. Hocus Pocus (US Single Version) (03:24)

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Man Doki - People In Room №8 (1997)

Year: 1997 (CD 1997)

Label: Polystar Records (Germany), ZZ-04/73GP0001071

Style: Jazz-Rock, Soft Rock, Fusion

Country: Hungary-Germany

Time: 73:18

Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz

Size: 516 Mb

Musicians: Jack Bruce, Ian Anderson, Chaka Khan, Nik Kershaw, Al Di Meola, Steve Lukather etc.

Laszlo "Leslie" Mandoki (born 7 January 1953) is a German-Hungarian musician who became known as a member of the music group Dschinghis Khan. He continued his career as a solo artist and became a music producer who worked with many internationally famous artists.

Mandoki is today a well-known producer who has rented the Park Studios near Lake Starnberg. He has worked as a producer for many German and international acts, including No Angels, Phil Collins, Engelbert, Joshua Kadison, Lionel Richie and Jennifer Rush. He also worked as a musical director for commercials, with clients including Audi, Daimler and Disney.

In 1993, Mandoki founded a group called ManDoki Soulmates, which combines elements of progressive rock with jazz music. The group has produced more than a dozen albums since then. Many notable artists appeared as guest musicians on the Soulmates albums, including Ian Anderson, Robin Gibb, Jack Bruce, Steve Lukather, Bobby Kimball, Midge Ure, Nik Kershaw, Al Di Meola, Michael and Randy Brecker, Till Bronner and Eric Burdon.

In April and November 2004, Mandoki and the Soulmates appeared together with many acclaimed international artists in the two-part television show 50 Jahre Rock ("50 Years of Rock") on ZDF hosted by Thomas Gottschalk. Material from these shows was later used for the album Legends of Rock.

(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_M%C3%A1ndoki)

01. Let The Music Show You The Way (04:27)

02. The Journey Is Long (05:43)

03. On And On (05:01)

04. Diggin Down Too Deep (05:46)

05. Nothing Or Everything (05:23)

06. I Believe (04:31)

07. Am I Strong Enough (04:06)

08. Every Day (03:32)

09. Borrowed Love (04:49)

10. Where I Was Born (03:26)

11. Reborn Desire (04:02)

12. Rainbow Angel (03:46)

13. Never Give In (04:28)

14. If We Try (07:23)

15. Back To Budapest (03:06)

16. Hold On To You Dreams (03:41)

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Thalamus - Subterfuge (2011)

Year: 2011 (CD Sep 14, 2011)
Label: Transubstans Records (Sweden), TRANS085
Style: Hard Rock, Blues Rock
Country: Sweden
Time: 49:54
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 363 Mb

In 2003 the four members of Thalamus put together this formation, that is still the up to date line-up. They startet with their musical vision and enhanced all parameters through the years.
Wide and athmospheric, or directly into your face. Compositions, that are led by graphs of mood.
Between spheric walls of sound and heavy guitar riffing, between vocals from beauty to beasty, and precise rhythms, the typical style of the band can be defined. Thalamus refers to the fact, that the music should not stop in being heard, but can go emotionally further on into the whole body.
Over the years the band shared the stage with various artists. Whether national with Heart Break Motel and Elke, with 2raumwohnung and Paula, swedish with the Dexter Jones Circus Orchestra and Moloken, or international with The (International) Noise Conspiracy and The Chapman Family. Clubs and Festivals from Bonn to Portsmouth. And even TV Gigs have been included.
After two released Albums the third will come latest in spring, and will finally be the try to fix the band's energy of a liveperformance in a documented audio environment.
"Mr. Avenson" will be released in the Indie Label "Le Fink Records".
(vk.com/mr.avenson?ysclid=lc8wf5u7z3978109418)

01. Blues Mary Intro (02:49)

02. Bring Down Mary (02:55)

03. When Goblins Cheer (05:58)

04. Blind (04:10)

05. Still Dancing On My Grave (03:50)

06. I Hope You Understand (03:42)

07. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (04:47)

08. Shot To Hell (05:17)

09. She Sells Desolation (04:03)

10. Love Is Shining On The Dead Man (05:46)

11. Through The Fields (06:32)

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Santers - Racing Time [Japan Edition] (1982)

Year: 1982 (CD 1998)
Label: Bareknuckle Records (Japan), AVCB-66050
Style: Hard Rock, AOR
Country: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Time: 39:07
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 278 Mb

In the spirit of rock 'n roll Santers delivers. Sleek, fast and loud. Hard-hitting - hard rock. Before their brand of melodic hard rock was considered mainstream, Santers paved the way forging together their melodic and progressive creations. Hailing from Toronto, Ontario this Canadian trio packs a heavy musical punch. Underrated, and under the radar, Santers' music has been described by writer Martin Popoff as "an emotional jewel which pulsed and pumped insidiously to the depths of my brain in successful carving of a permanent home".
From the basements of suburban Toronto to international stages, Santers began with classically trained brothers Rick Santers (lead vocals, guitars, keys) and Mark Santers (drums and vocals) jamming in their basement. They soon joined forces with jazz-influenced bassist Rick Lazaroff in 1979 and set their sights high. Their talents were first recognized when they won a contest sponsored by Toronto rock radio station Q107. Soon afterward, in 1981, their debut album Shot Down In Flames burst onto the international scene garnering numerous international releases. Santers kept increasing its momentum through a steady stream of hard rock gems including Mayday (EP 1982), Racing Time (1982), Guitar Alley (1984), Top Secrecy (1986/released 1998).
"Can't Shake You" the video and single, received rotation on over 200 Rock Radio and TV stations across North America. Santers remake of Free's classic "All Right Now" cracked the  CHUM Top 40 reaching lucky #13 in Toronto. Santers albums continue to be released in countries around the world. The demand for Santers on CD was first realized in Germany on 1st Shot and 2nd Shot in 1995 on Long Island Records. In 1998 Santers experienced another incredible resurgence with the release of SANTERS lV - The Box Set on Avex Records in Japan. This rare collection of original masters featured the band's three full-length studio albums plus unreleased bonus tracks. Also included was the band's unreleased archived fourth album Top Secrecy. In 1999, Top Secrecy was also released in Germany on Point Music/AOR Heaven. Dandelion Records, the band's record label released a limited edition of Cold Fusion - Best of in 2002.
The Santers concert calendar over the years has brought them through Canada, the U.S.A. and Europe. The band is renowned for its exciting, high energy live shows and their extensive touring over the years has led the way to headline performances. Santers has joined forces and performed concerts with other notable rock bands, Ozzy Ozbourne, Blue Oyster Cult, Rick Derringer, Triumph, Johnny Winter, Golden Earing, Ratt, Accept and Kim Mitchell.
(santers.com/)

01. Mistreatin' Heart (03:19)

02. Mystical Eyes (03:51)

03. Still I Am (03:32)

04. A Dog Without A Home (03:04)

05. Road To Morocco (03:49)

06. Two Against The World (03:31)

07. Back Street (03:05)

08. Winter Freeze (03:43)

09. Hard Time Lovin' You (03:09)

10. Racing Time (03:39)

11. You Turn Me On (live bonus track) (04:19)

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Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Messin [Japan Edition] (1973)

Year: 15 June 1973 (CD May 25, 2005)
Label: Air Mail Archive (Japan), AIRAC-1107
Style: Rock, Art Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 48:44
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 275 Mb

Review Summary: While having a number of cool tunes, some songs drag down an album that could have been truly excellent.
Manfred Mann's Earth Band is a pretty unknown hard rock/prog rock band led by South-African keyboardist Manfred Mann who had a pretty successful solo career in the 60s. Vastly changing music style from R&B to hard rock, he still gets the hang of it without fumbling around too much. Messin' blends lots of different genres such as classic blues, metal, folk and prog into a mess. Fortunelately, it doesn't turn out too bad.
Messin' provides a greater listen than its predecessor. It's got tighter production and more experimental musicianship. They are standing on higher ground here and proving who's boss. Without question, the strongest track here is both opener and title track. It has complex musical passages, mood changes, tempo changes and cool riffs. Clocking at 10 minutes, it's definitly the album highlight. Simply not a dull moment. However, other songs such as "Buddah" aren't overshadowed by it. "Buddah" is also a cool song with moog usurping the throne and catchy vocals and riffs.
Unfortunelately, the album suffers from being inconsistant with covering tracks from bluesy Bob Dylan to folky Dr. John Craux. "Get Your Rocks Off" and "Mardi Gras Day" just seems like mistakes. They are average rockers that should have been dropped from the track listing in favor of original self-written tracks (which not surprisingly are the best). Another mere good song is "Cloudy Eyes". This is an example of something that could have been much greater, if it only got to be polished and refined. As written in the album liner notes, the song was written for a rock opera, but was discarded and brought here. "Black and Blue" is written by band friends and is a strange choice. Being a mix of heavy, classic blues and rock it contains some awkward lyrics like:
I been working so hard my back's near broke/
My brows are wet, my throat's a-choke.
However, the musicians are doing just fine, and doing a great job. In the front is Manfred's keyboards and synthesizers. He uses them scarse, but effectively. Instead of doing virtueso work like Wakeman or Emerson style, he tries to cope with other band members resulting in a more drawn back position. Guitarist Mick Rogers is perhaps the most important member in terms of sound. His guitar is always shining and he plays the guitar loud and aggressive. Same goes for drummer Chris Slade. He delivers pounds in form of loudness and agressiveness. On the other hand, bassist Colin Pattenden is overshadowed, and his bass is not tuned high enough and gets drowned out.
Despite some lame covers, the album provides a nice experience and is not to be forgotten in the ocean of so many others. If not listening to the album in one go, at least listen to the title track and "Buddah". These tracks are very entertaining and are classics on their own.
(sputnikmusic.com/review/68320/Manfred-Manns-Earth-Band-Messin/)

01. Messin' (09:52)

02. Buddah (07:01)

03. Cloudy Eyes (05:34)

04. Get Your Rocks Off (02:48)

05. Sadjoy (05:14)

06. Black And Blue (07:21)

07. Mardi Gras Day (03:09)

08. Pretty Good (04:07)

09. Cloudy Eyes (Single Edit) (03:35)

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Bill Nelson (Be Bop Deluxe) - The Love That Whirls (Diary Of A Thinking Heart) (1982)

Year: 1982 (CD 2005)
Label: Mercury Records (Europe), 9831026
Style: Electronic, New Wave, Synth-Pop
Country: Wakefield, England (18 December 1948)
Time: 64:03
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 409 Mb

The love affair started with ‘Flaming Desire’. The single got played on the radio at least once, possibly more, and had me swooning with its propulsive rhythms, swirling synths and croonerish vocal – a weirder version of Blancmange, Yazoo on speed.
As was often the case, the hard choice was made in Selectadisc in Nottingham – play safe with the single or shell out some extra hard-earned Saturday job cash on the album. It was the pre-streaming age of just having to take a punt, but in the end the choice was easily made.
There was the tracklisting with exotic, ethereal sounding titles like ‘When Your Dream Of Perfect Beauty Comes True’ and ‘The Crystal Escalator In The Palace Of God Department Store’. And what about that monochrome cover with the moody looking artist pictured in the half-shadow beside a statue of the Hindu god Shiva, although this background detail was lost at the time on an East Midlands teenager. Incongruously, this sensual-looking package seemed to be created almost single-handedly by someone with a name more suited to a Bolton Wanderers left-half of the 1930s.
I was oblivious at this stage to Nelson’s backstory as front man of prog-glam rockers Be Bop Deluxe, a fact that with hindsight makes the mix of sublime synthpop and ambient instrumental interludes on ‘The Love That Whirls’ even more remarkable. Had I known in 1982 that the robotic and skittering drum sounds were made by a Roland TR-808 drum machine I’d have been equally underwhelmed, but their crisp, precise presence made it futuristic then and as fresh as the proverbial today – but this was years before acid house and Detroit techno would turn that machine into a cult.
Many of the tracks also had a Japanese feel which, in the days when that country’s tech ruled the world, added to the album’s sense of visionary modernism.
On first play, the album didn’t disappoint, and it’s never let me down since, but few could experience the same chance radio epiphany and news of its greatness didn’t spread. Just a year before, Nelson’s ‘Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam’ album, and its earworm single ‘Do You Dream In Colour?’, had raised the possibility of turning Nelson into a pop star, but the world’s indifference to ‘The Love That Whirls’ ensured a place in cult obscurity.
Even for those whose path the album crossed, it was easily dismissed as “arty” in the year of the smooth-pop sheen of ‘Dare’ and ‘The Lexicon Of Love’. And that wasn’t a good thing. But nearly four decades on, it’s worth revisiting this genuine work of art.
(electronicsound.co.uk/the-regulars/buried-treasure/bill-nelson-the-love-that-whirls-diary-of-a-thinking-heart-mercury-1982/)

01. Empire Of The Senses (04:49)

02. Hope For The Heartbeat (03:53)

03. Waiting For Voices (01:37)

04. A Private View (05:28)

05. Eros Arriving (03:34)

06. The Bride Of Christ In Autumn (02:24)

07. Flesh (03:29)

08. He And Sleep Were Brothers (04:41)

09. When Your Dream Of Perfect Beauty Comes True (03:36)

10. Flaming Desire (04:53)

11. Portrait Of Jan With Flowers (02:12)

12. The Crystal Escalator In The Palace Of God Department Store (03:20)

13. Echo In Her Eyes (The Lamps Of Oblivion) (02:01)

14. The October Man (06:44)

15. Haunting In My Head (04:28)

16. Hope For The Heartbeat (Remix) (03:35)

17. The Passion (03:09)

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Them - Time Out! Time In For Them (1968)

Year: November 1968 (CD 2003)
Label: Rev-Ola (UK), CR REV 52
Style: Rock, Psychedelic Rock
Country: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Time: 56:55
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 325 Mb

Them's second post-Van Morrison album, even more than their first such effort (Now & Them), grew further away from their mid-'60s style, to the point where there were few audible links to how Them sounded in the British Invasion era. And like Now & Them, it was an intermittently worthwhile but somewhat characterless record, reflecting late-'60s trends in album-oriented rock without adding much to them or innovating paths of their own. It was even more Los Angeles-psychedelia-influenced than their prior LP, taking the lead of Now & Them's strongest cut ("Square Room") to explore sitar-laden raga-rock on several songs. "Time Out for Time In" adds a nice waltz overlay to the raga-rock sound, but "Black Widow Spider" and "Just on Conception" frankly live up to the stereotypes of "oh wow!" hippie-trippy word soups from the era. So does "The Moth," but at least there some Roger McGuinn-like vocals and dreamy orchestration add spice. Other songs are competently done but nonstandout heavy soul rock, with "She Put a Hex on You" sounding right off the cutting room floor of a 1968 psychedelic dance rock club movie scene; you can just see the bandana-swathed babe from central casting gyrating as the strobe lights flash. "Waltz of the Flies," the best song, is indeed a beguiling psychedelic waltz, and Jim Armstrong's guitar work throughout is far more instrumentally accomplished than what you'll hear on many similar albums. Yet the record's not in the same league as either the Van Morrison-era Them or the better psychedelic/raga-rock endeavors of the late '60s. The 2003 Rev-Ola CD reissue adds eight bonus cuts (all taken from 45s) of value to anyone interested in the post-Van Morrison Them, including the non-LP single "Corinna"/"Dark Are the Shadows," the rare original single version of the punky "Dirty Old Man" (which is superior to the one on Now and Them), and the rare original 45 version of "Square Room" (which isn't as good as, and is much shorter than, the one on Now and Them).
(allmusic.com/album/time-out%21-time-in-for-them-mw0000521722)

01. Time Out For Time In (02:55)

02. She Put A Hex On You (02:24)

03. Bent Over You (03:17)

04. Waltz Of The Flies (02:23)

05. Black Widow Spider (04:33)

06. We've All Agreed To Help (02:20)

07. Market Place (03:01)

08. Just On Conception (05:07)

09. Young Woman (02:44)

10. The Moth (03:23)

11. But It's Alright (02:42)

12. Square Room (2nd Single Version) (03:18)

13. Dirty Old Man (2nd Single Version) (01:46)

14. Corinna (Single Version) (02:38)

15. Dark Are The Shadows (Single Version) (02:39)

16. Dirty Old Man (Original Single Version) (01:57)

17. Square Room (Original Single Version) (03:37)

18. But It's Alright (Original Single Version) (02:43)

19. Square Room (Single Edit / Remix) (03:20)

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Graham Bonnet (Rainbow) - Line Up (1981)

Year: October 27, 1981 (CD 2016)
Label: HNE Recordings Ltd (Europe), HNECD064
Style: Rock, Hard Rock, AOR
Country: Lincolnshire, England (23 December 1947)
Time: 52:26
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 402 Mb

Following his brief spell in Rainbow Graham Bonnet took full advantage of his newly acquired rock audience and put out this 1981 solo offering.
‘Line- Up’ came complete with a who’s who of guest musicians and a Rainbow coloured backdrop for the cover shot just in case anyone forgot what band he’d been in. To be fair to him though Bonnet did propel Rainbow into that rock/pop chart territory of the very late seventies and early eighties in a way that Dio probably never could have ...  but that is for a different review.
Enlisting the help of Whitesnake men Micky Moody, Jon Lord and Neil Murray, as well as future snake skinsman Cozy Powell meant that he was fronting a pretty useful sort of hybrid Whitesnake.
‘Night Games’, which was a minor UK hit was very much in the mould of ‘Since You Been Gone’ and ‘All Night Long’ from his Rainbow days albeit without the added bonus of a Blackmore solo.
‘Liar’ and ‘That’s The Way That It Is’ were also released as singles and charted. Bizarrely the latter named was also released at around the same time by Uriah Heep who were at that point fronted by Pete Goalby who had tried out with Rainbow just before Bonnet !
‘Dirty Hand’, ‘Out On The Water’ (with great backing vocals ) ‘Don’t Stand In The Open’ and the rock ‘n’ roll blitz of ‘Anthony Boy’ all stand out on what is a very good album.
The hideous ‘Be My Baby’ and a couple of obvious fillers are the only lowlights.
All round then a good album well worthy of four stars and more proof that when Bonnet sings rather than shouts he can cut it with some of rocks finest.
(martinleedham.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/album-review-graham-bonnet-line-up-1981/)

01. Night Games (04:38)

02. S.O.S. (03:12)

03. I'm A Lover (03:46)

04. Be My Baby (03:03)

05. That's The Way That It Is (03:18)

06. Liar (03:02)

07. Anthony Boy (03:28)

08. Dirty Hand (03:40)

09. Out On The Water (03:38)

10. Don't Stand In The Open (03:25)

11. Set Me Free (04:22)

12. Don't Tell Me To Go (B - Side) (02:59)

13. Bad Days Are Gone (B - Side) (02:48)

14. Night Games (Single Edit) (03:27)

15. Out On The Water (Single Edit) (03:33)

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Them - Belfast Gypsies (1967)

Year: August 1967 (CD 2003)
Label: Rev-Ola (UK), CR REV 49
Style: Rhythm and Blues, Rock
Country: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Time: 56:18
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 273 Mb

The Belfast Gypsies' career lasted a bit over a year, but their history was remarkably convoluted for a group so short-lived. In 1965, the members of the great Irish R&B band Them were feuding, leading them to split into two factions. Both versions of the group were touring the U.K. as Them until a legal decision gave Van Morrison's version the rights to the name. However, those rights didn't extend around the world, and the version led by keyboard player Pat McAuley toured Europe and the Netherlands as Them, while playing in England as the Other Them. The Other Them crossed paths with notorious American producer Kim Fowley, who signed the act to a record deal. By 1967, an album comprised of Fowley's British sessions with the Other Them, combined with other material cut in Copenhagen, was released in Sweden, months after the Other Them broke up. However, Fowley didn't like the name the Other Them, and released their music under the name the Belfast Gypsies, a moniker the band never used themselves. The Swedish label gave the LP the confusing title Them, and record stores filed it with their former band's releases more often than not. Given the strange story of the Belfast Gypsies' sole album, one might not expect much from the finished product, but the truth is, Them is a solid and satisfying blast of U.K. R&B, and better than the albums the post-Morrison Them would release. Keyboard player and lead singer Jackie McAuley sometimes overdid his efforts to sound like Van Morrison (with some Eric Burdon thrown in), but at his best he was a fierce R&B howler, and his brother Pat McAuley, moving from keys to drums, was an energetic and imaginative percussionist. Add Ken McLeod's razor-sharp guitar on numbers like "Gloria's Dream" and "People, Let's Freak Out" and Mark Scott's steady, muscular bass work and you get a band that was well-versed in R&B, blues, freakbeat, and garage-centric rock. Even when they slow down on numbers like "The Crazy World Inside Me" or "Portland Town," they maintain intensity and excitement. It's sometimes obvious this album was cut quickly on a budget, and not all the material is top shelf. Still, Them (or Them Belfast Gypsies, as some fans call it) deserves a wider hearing and better exposure than it received in 1967; if they had stuck around for a few years, it's not hard to imagine they could have matured into serious rivals to the Pretty Things.
(allmusic.com/album/them-belfast-gypsies-mw0000468533)

01. Gloria's Dream (02:13)

02. The Crazy World Inside Me (03:02)

03. Midnight Train (03:31)

04. Aria Of The Fallen Angels (03:50)

05. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (03:48)

06. People, Let's Freak Out (02:30)

07. Boom Boom (02:27)

08. The Last Will And Testament (04:51)

09. Portland Town (03:19)

10. Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness) (02:05)

11. Suicide Song (04:13)

12. Secret Police (02:32)

13. Portland Town (French EP Mix) (03:40)

14. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (French EP Mix) (03:48)

15. Midnight Train (French EP Mix) (03:30)

16. The Gorilla (French EP Mix) (01:59)

17. Secret Police (45 Mix) (02:38)

18. Gloria's Dream (45 Mix) (02:14)

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Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Glorified Magnified [Japan Edition] (1972)

Year: 29 September 1972 (CD May 25, 2005)
Label: Air Mail Archive (Japan), AIRAC-1106
Style: Rock, Art Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 44:56
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 298 Mb

The second album by Manfred Mann's Earth Band to be released in 1972, Glorified Magnified is as solid a heavy rock album as you're likely to find from that era, and it still holds up three decades later, mostly because these guys are smarter than the music they're playing and don't mind indulging their taste as well as their dexterity. They can romp and stomp through "Meat" or "I'm Gonna Have You All," complete with a slashing guitar solo by Mick Rogers on the latter, or throw in a synthesizer interlude by Mann on "One Way Glass" that's so quietly and carefully executed as to be worthy of a classical piece -- and not skip a beat doing it. Between Rogers' bold yet tasteful leads, Mann's beautifully assertive yet virtuoso synthesizer and general keyboard work, and Colin Pattenden's muscular bass playing, this is a consistently inspired group, even when their material isn't as interesting as what they do with it, which is the case here. On "Look Around," for example, Rogers' playing on the break starts off as brief, fragmentary digressions off from a not too terribly diverting central riff that turn into longer progressions that eventually take the entire band with him -- and just when you think you've got this band pegged in terms of what it's about, along comes "Ashes to the Wind," opening side two of the original LP, which includes room for an acoustic guitar amid the high-wattage excursions, all leading into a surprisingly effective synthesizer workout by Mann on "Wind," before moving onto the acoustic guitar-driven "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." The latter, which adds instrumentation until it's so totally removed from its opening section as to be a different song, is one of the best Dylan covers of its era, and is almost worth the price of admission by itself. And then there's the title instrumental, a mix of rock and synthesizer sounds -- with a choir in there somewhere -- that sounds like mid-'70s King Crimson in rehearsal.
(allmusic.com/album/glorified-magnified-mw0000697568)

01. Meat (04:02)

02. Look Around (05:10)

03. One Way Glass (04:07)

04. I'm Gonna Have You All (05:19)

05. Down Home (03:17)

06. Our Friend George (03:02)

07. Ashes To The Wind (02:14)

08. Wind (01:58)

09. It's All Over Now Baby Blue (04:26)

10. Glorified Magnified (04:43)

11. Meat (Single Version) (03:16)

12. It's All Over Now Baby Blue (Single Version) (03:15)

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