Author – Azrael Abyss

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 […]

Twilight: Still Loving You

‘Nuther stock covered local lp I picked up recently – which turned out to be quite a bit rarer and better than I’d hoped for. I’m normally not big on late 70’s/early 80’s sounding soul, but the songs here are extremely well written and have an almost singer/songwriter quality to them – or, as it […]

Steve and Ed: Dream Song

A surprisingly good folk-pop lp on the vanity label Century that I picked up recently due to my “leave no stock cover behind” compulsion. The notes say it was recorded in a Los Angeles area church, and it has a sort of cavernous low-fi sound quality that I quite enjoy. Very soothing Simon & Garfunkel-esque […]

Teenage Talk-In

Strange 60’s Christian lp that has one of my favorite covers of all time. It depicts youthful scenes of of the era; playing baseball, dancing, riding on a motorcycle, holding a portable radio dangerously close to your ear and screaming, getting maced by the cops, hallucinating the Beatles’ disembodied heads, etc. And the message, delivered […]

The Pleasures Of Love

Listening to this record reminds me that my sense of humor has not matured much in the last 17 years. Lose something down there fella?

Leroy Daniels: Sexmouth

I would like to present, as a public service, somthing that is a rarity for the record collector: Boobs without the use of a credit card.

Lisa: No Lo Sabes Todavia

As near as I can tell by trying to read the notes on the back of this lp with my non-existant understanding of Spanish, “Lisa” is from Cuba via Florida. I guess Lisa is either a very uncommon name where she comes from, or she was a Madonna-like mega-star who achieved single name recognition. Anyhow, […]

Evelyn Lohoefer DeBoeck: Music For Movement Expression

I was pretty totally unprepared for an avant jazz freak-out on an Educational Activities Inc. record, but that is exactly what a couple tracks on here are. Prepared piano with bass and percussion that reminds me of something you might hear on an ESP-Disk lp. The rest is quite good too but it’s more of […]

Various: African Dances

I’m a complete novice when it comes to this type of stuff, but this along with a small handful of other things I’ve been lucky enough to pick up lately has really sparked an interest. This one is simply titled “African Dances” on a (very budget looking) label called “Authentic”. It appears to be an […]

College of the Redwoods Stage Band: Family of Man

Local NorCal High School jazz lp. Half of this is pretty standard school kid cheese. IE: horrible selection of covers (the Flinstones theme) sloppily executed – but without the reckless abandon that would make it interesting. The second side it better. An original side-long jazz suite with tinges of exotica. Based on the short clip […]

Omar Khorshid: With Love Vols. 1 and 2

When I found this lp in a thrift a few years back amongst a massive collection of belly dancing records, I had absolutely no idea who Omar Khorshid was. In fact, I think I might have left a few of his other records behind that day – a thought which has troubled me greatly ever […]

Los Juniors: La Perla

This record makes me happy. Los Juniors must have been Mexico’s answer to the British Invasion, but unlike so many other tired Beatles cash-ins on this era, this lp is vibrant and alive. And while they do swell versions of a couple Beatle songs (“I Saw Her Standing There”), the few originals on here are […]

Eddie Baxter: Super Organ

I realize that after uncovering possibly thee DIY keyboard gem in Ron Lasiter, master diggers made of lesser stuff would probably just rest on their laurels. Wallowing in their new e-fame, visions of fantasy dancing in their head, they’d become lazy and complacent. Disgusting. I am no such person. For I’m still out relentlessly “diggin’ […]

Eric Dimson: That Latin Feelin’

I waste dollar bills at thrift shops in search of the ultimate lounge record the way chain smokin’ grannies fritter away their Social Security on lottery scratchers. If I could curb this habit a bit I’d probably be driving a nicer car, but every now and again you end up with something pretty sweet – […]

Sounds Of Love …A to Zzzz

The sounds of a woman getting it on with a Moog. This is either one of the best or one of the worst records I own – I’m just not sure which… [Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Mission Singers: Everything’s Just Fine… Or Is It?

This is one on those albums where the concept behind it is just so good that I really, really want to love it. According to the brief notes on the back, the Mission Singers were a group of young, rockin’ priests from St. Louis who devoted themselves to fighting world hunger. I fact, I believe […]

Father Ian and Caroline

‘Nuther interesting record made by one of those “hip priests”. Some of the stuff on here is pretty cheese, but there are a couple fun pop-psych things. I especially dig this track, with it’s mix of groovy sounds and apocalyptic imagery.

Masses In Time Of War

There are soooo many privately pressed lp’s of various church services, sermons, masses, church choirs, etc… that trying get a handle on them would probably cause your mind to literally explode. Not that anyone would really care to though, ’cause the sounds found on the vast majority would probably put even the most hellishly hyperactive […]

Wilson Brothers: Jesus Will Lead You

One of my more exciting finds as of late. Extremely raw home-made gospel lp by these four bay area brothers and their dad. While this is far from a total Shaggs style freak-out, it has an absolutely amazing and infectious energy to the whole thing that reminds me of a lot of my favorite amatuer […]

The Laughing Bear

This man really isn’t a bear. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]

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 […]