“Fist” Goodbody’s Traveling Torture Show
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A. A. Allen: God Is A Killer!
More than just a weird cover, as Mr. Allen seems to have actually been a pretty weird man.
A. Paul Ortega: Two Worlds
Native American folkie A. Paul Ortega is definitely one of the most unique things I’ve heard recently. Or ever for that matter. So much so that I find I have little frame of reference right now while writing about this lp. Ortega’s songs (or renditions of traditional songs) sound ancient, completely futuristic, and totally hypnotic [...]
Adomono: Gypsy
Jerry Stiller look-a-like flamenco guitar dude record that is actually pretty far out. To look at the titles on this set of all covers does not exactly fill you with enthusiasm, but they are so completely drenched with echo that even the most banal 60′s pop cover is transcended into enjoyable weirdness. And according to [...]
Alexander Longrifle: Best Of
While there are plenty of examples of “why on earth wasn’t a record company interested in this?!?!” in the world of private press records, this is not one of them. Alexander “Chief” Longrifle is pretty much a textbook example of an artist who’s music would never have made it into the few homes it did [...]
Alice Armand: “Erica Sings”
I still don’t quite know what to make of this after a few years and quite a few listens. According to the liner notes “after 8 years of living in the wilderness of her Adirondack farm” the 1940′s movie starlet was spontaneously inspired to write and record music “as the result of some happening”. Bewildering, [...]
Arian Calandra
Charmingly disjointed Uni-Bomber looking dude who had me from the very first listen. Half the tracks have vocals and should appeal to anyone with a soft spot for oddball sincerity. There is an off-kilter feeling that, combined with his sunny themes, I just find super pleasant and refreshing. The rest is instrumental guitar improvisations which [...]
Art Brooks: The Night Caller
Private press Free Jazz lp from Bennington University in Vermont by Trumpeter Art Brooks. What originally got my attention when I dug this up in a local antique shop was that the liner notes were written by Bill Dixon, and that Brooks dedicates the lp to his teachers – Dixon, Cecil Taylor, and Milford Graves. [...]
At Ali Baba’s Party
Harem-tastic cover art!
Aura: S/T
Rare bay area funk-rock lp that, while highly regarded by some, does not do a lot for me personally. It’s definitely more juiced up than your average Cold Blood/Tower Of Power fare, so I can understand why this might appeal to fans of raw/self-produced funkiness, but it really is lacking in any real depth of [...]
Baroques: S/T
One of my personal favorite psych lp’s ever. From Milwaukee, WI, the Baroques recorded just this one record for Chess in 1967. Don’t let the Chess affiliation fool ‘ya. It carries none of the cheesy trappings of stuff like Rotary Connection, etc. The sound is raw and like nothing else I’ve ever heard on the [...]
Beaumont High School: A Sometime Rain
Yet another record I bought on a trip back home visiting family. My mom lived in Beaumont for a few years… I can absolutely say without a doubt that if you’re ever faced with moving there, DON’T. It is the very definition of a hellhole. Anyhow, even hellholes like Beaumont, California have records… such as [...]
Becky Stewart and Midge Robertson: Two Sent
Private Christian record from my current home of Santa Rosa, CA (I think). On the whole this lp is less than spectacular, but I have an almost unhealthy obsession with a track on it called “Those Who Wait Upon the Lord”. It’s a song of divine beauty and a reminder of why I continue to [...]
Bhagavan Das: Swaha
Private press hippie commune stuff by guru dude Bhagavan Das. Unfortunately, three fourths of this double lp is the clan “getting their Om on” which I find somewhat less than compelling. I believe it is an honest and respectful attempt at traditional Indian music but it really does not work very well as far as [...]
Bill & Jean Bradway: Gospel Hawaiianaires
I guess it’s pretty fair to say that as of 2010 I’ve become a bit jaded when it comes to records. The sense of anything being possible I used to feel when walking into a strange Goodwill has all but left me. There was certainly a time when flipping to a dude in a bow [...]
Bill Spivery: Trouble With The Operator
Hello… HELLO???
Billings West High School: Spring Band Concert 1962
‘Nuther school record on the famed Century custom label. To be quite honest this almost completely sucks except for a rather epic exotica workout called “Voodoo”. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Bob Hurd: Bless the Lord
Good private press singer songwriter Jesus man lp from 1976. Low key and acoustic with a sparse, introspective feel on the best cuts. The Christian lyrics do come close to being overbearing at times though. One thing I found funny about this record though is that he goes on a tirade against home taping in [...]
Bob Pratt: Wingless Bluebird!
A brief recount of the things that went through my head as I pulled this record after about 90 minutes of fruitless digging & breathing in of mummified cockroaches bodies… Holy lord. There is no way this is as awesome as it looks. No way.
Bolster and McDaniel: S/T
Pretty bizarre record that I picked up recently on the strength of the cover. I was prepared for the fairly standard folky rock with country overtones that this record mostly is – but, was totally unprepared for the quirky, low-budget funk(?) jam that opens the record. SEE WHAT I MEAN!?!?! File under: HUH…???