The Climax Blues Band "Tightly Knit" "Rich Man" "FM Live" Reviews

Reissued by Esoteric Records

Reviewed by Joseph Kyle

When last we left Climax Blues Band, they had followed up the near-perfect Plays On with an album that found them regressing from that album's progressive sounds. The next three albums in Esoteric's catalog reissue documents a band on the verge of greatness.

Album number four, Tightly Knit, released in 1971, found the quintet honing their sound. Once again joined by Chris Thomas, the band pulled back the uncomfortable hard-rock tendencies of A Lot of Bottle, blending their long-running blues style with a more accessible sound, as heard on the jaunty, FM-radio friendly "Toward the Sun" and the catchy singalong chant of "That's All." Thankfully, on "Who Killed McSwiggin" and "Bide My Time," they bring back some of the psych-rock playfulness of Plays On that was sorely lacking on their previous record. Still, the blues runs through their sound, and the one-two punch of "Hey Mama" and "Shoot Her If She Runs" made for a rewarding combination. While a definite improvement on its predecessor, one wonders if Tightly Knit's lack of commercial success was due to what is easily one of the worst album covers of the 1970s. It doesn't really matter that it was made by legendary design team  Hipgnosis either; it's bizarre imagery is quite unappealing.

Rich Man, released in 1972, was an amazing stylistic leap forward for the veteran band. Rich Man was a transitional album in two important ways. First, the band had whittled down to a four-piece, losing keyboard player Arthur Wood and drummer George Newsome. Rich Man also marked first time the band did not work with Chris Thomas, instead opting to work with American producer Richard Gottehrer, The change is instantly notable. "Rich Man" is a slick, harmony-laden number that deftly blends the best elements of the band's different stylistic talents into a style that is taut, hard, different enough to be a distinctive maturation in sound, whilst possessing a sound that would be instantly familiar to old fans. It's a very American-sounding record, a hard rock record that feels fresh and new. Gottehrer prodded the band out of its creative rut, inspiring arrangements focusing on harmonies over funky rhythms ("Standing By A River") with a blues-and-country-rock hybrid that would soon come into fashion ("All The Time In The World," "You Make Me Sick"). It feels very much like the work of a band on the cusp of something great, one that would bear much fruit in follow-up records. In its own way, this is as exciting an album as Plays On, even if it lacks the sonic innovation of that album.

FM Live, the band's sixth album, shows that they too knew they were on the cusp of greatness. The show (presented here on disc in its entirety for the first time) was recorded in New York on their Rich Man tour. It's a tight set that's packed with great material--drawn mainly from Rich Man--a handful of covers, and "I Am Constant," a straight-up pop song that would be a highlight of their next album. It's a catchy tune that hinted at greatness to come. One also senses their awareness of their success in the US; "Rich Man" had placed on the Top 200 in the charts, and FM--released as a double album in the USA well before release in their homeland--is not only a great set, but a wonderful introduction to the band. One wonders if it was designed to serve that purpose for an American audience; considering it was stripped to a single disc for the rest of the world. It's not hard to imagine that the band's sights were set on America.
At the beginning of the show, the emcee states that Climax Blues Band is "a group you will know a year from now is super" [sic], and he was right. FM Live is an enjoyable live show of a band that definitely was about to break big.

The Climax Blues Band "S/T" "Plays On" "A Lot of Bottle " Reviews

Released by Esoteric Records 2013

Reviewed by Joseph Kyle

The Climax Chicago Blues Band S/T
Borne out of the British blues scene of the mid-1960s, The Climax Chicago Blues Band initially offered up a raucous take on American blues. Their first album, recorded in late 1968, was recorded over a two-day period with Beatles associates Chris Thomas and Geoff Emerick behind the boards.
Because of the speed of recording, their self-titled debut has a spontaneous, electric feel; lead singer Colin Cooper is an ace belter, and Peter Haycock is an equally ace guitarist. Surprisingly, for a band playing a style of music that relied much on tradition, the majority of songs are original band compositions, and they're fine ones, too; it's hard not to be instantly won over by the introductory "Mean Old World," and songs like "You've Been Drinking" and "Looking For My Baby" are simply timeless blues- rock. As a band, they were very much in competition with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Fleetwood Mac, Cream, and Delaney and Bonnie. For a first record, though, at times it does feel somewhat generic; the handful of bonus tracks--many of which are first takes, as opposed to unreleased songs--are interesting, but not particularly revelatory.

The Climax Blues Band "Plays On"
The band's second album finds two very noticeable changes. One, the band's name has been shortened, thanks in part to a legal issue dealing with American band Chicago. ("It was no big deal," say the liner notes). Second, from the first notes of "Flight," you find that this band has suddenly become rather "trippy". Lead singer Colin Cooper started to use his saxophone abilities, and the addition of that element--as well as more funky organ and keyboard playing--finds the band shunning the more generic sounds of their debut. Also amazing is that this transformative change took place in a space of less than a year; this was recorded mere months after their debut album was released. The band's sudden discovery of psychedelia provided an interesting mix with the band's formerly traditional blues- rock sound. Don't get me wrong; "Hey Baby, Everything's Gonna Be Alright, Yeh Yeh Yeh," "Little Girl," and "Like Uncle Charlie" still retained that rawness found on their debut. It's the moments like the aforementioned "Flight," the Afro-Cuban "Cubano Chant," and the almost proto-Prog Rock of "Mum's The Word" takes their sound to another level. Then there's the sudden medley of "Twenty Past Two" and "Temptation Rag;" considering that their team worked with the Beatles, one can't help wondering if maybe this most interesting, curious melding of two utterly different songs without warning inspired a certain Beatle or two to do the same thing on their own 1969 album. Perhaps inspired by The Grateful Dead and Santana, "Plays On" is a stunning collection of songs from a quickly mutating band. It's no surprise, then, that the record was a minor hit in the UK and the USA.

The Climax Chicago Blues Band "A Lot of Bottle"
As the band had quickly recorded their second album, so too came the band's third album. The band reverted its name to include "Chicago" (though this may be for this reissue only; there's no clear explanation why this was the case, as American versions of the album retained the abbreviated name). As they had done previously, they started their album with a completely different sound--the roots-rock instrumental "Country Hat" not sounding like anything on their previous two albums. Gone, too, is the trippy psych-rock of "Plays On." Also gone is the traditional blues-rock sounds of before. Instead, one finds them turning into a rather straightforward hard-rock band. It's not a bad thing; "Reap What I've Sowed" and "Please Don't Help Me" could easily give Steppenwolf a run for their money. After listening to the awesome "Plays On", "A Lot of Bottle" feels like a bit of a letdown; one would hope that they would have continued on in the psych rock/blues amalgam that was so rewarding. The bonus songs find the band in the live setting, and listening to what "Flight" turned into--from a jazz-rock fusion to a blues-rocker--is a bit disappointing. "A Lot of Bottle" feels anticlimactic; especially considering how much of a jewel "Plays On" happened to be. Still, the band would continue on, and is still active, forty-five years later. These three reissues do a fine job of showing exactly why this band is still going today, and even if some of the records disappoint, they still retain a quality not found in many bands--either of the era, or today.

Ravi Shankar "A Life in Music" Review

Reviewed by Joseph Kyle

The music world lost a great man this past December, when sitar master Ravi Shankar passed away at the age of 92, eighty years of which were spent composing and performing traditional Indian music. He was a well-established artist and performer when he was seemingly "discovered" by Western rock musicians. The two-disc collection Ravi Shankar: A Life In Music, doesn't even begin to highlight his career, but these recordings are considered to be the pinnacle of his long and storied discography. The biographical liner notes make an interesting point about the importance of the music found here, hinting that they very well may be the recordings that were heard by George Harrison and Brian Jones and other British rockers. Shankar would downplay his association with the rock world, and expressed unhappiness about his music finding favor in the drug subculture.

Yet one cannot deny the power of the music found in this collection; opening "Raga Jog" is a quiet, gentle half-hour journey into the heart of time and space, a meditative piece that quietly turns jubilant, as the other members of the quartet quietly add their own instrumental touches.  Occasionally, the peaceful, gentle compositions turn rather frantic, such as on "Raga Simhendra Madhyamam" and "Dhun In Mishra Mand," both of which feature a highly rhythmic, danceable beat. For the most part, this collection offers what most of Shankar's music offered: a quiet respite from the outside world and stresses. Try meditating to it; you'll drift off into another place when you do. It's not hard to understand why the Brits were so taken with the man's music, as these recordings, well over fifty years old, still sound timeless and otherworldly.

Note: A funny story about Harrison and Shankar. Upon discovering his music, Harrison wanted to see Shankar and his trio perform, so he arranged a private gathering and flew  Shankar and his musicians to England. Harrison's entourage, wanting to pay tribute to the Indian musicians, dressed in what they felt to be the finest, most exquisite Indian robes, beads, and attire, to show their guests that they appreciated their culture. When Shankar and company exited the plane, Harrison and his friends were slightly embarrassed to discover the sitar master and his friends dressed in brand new Armani suits!

Available here.

Azteca "Azteca" "Pyramid of the Moon" Reviews

Reviewed By Joseph Kyle

Azteca (1972)
Pyramid of the Moon (1973)
(Reissued 2013 via BBR/Cherry Red)

The psychedelic latin jazz fusion orchestra Azteca was formed by brothers Pete and Coke Escovedo shortly after their stint in Santana. Their aim was to put together a large band that would take the best elements of pop, rock, latin music, jazz, and R&B, mix them together into a heady, trippy soup, and create a new sound that was clearly rooted in tradition. Though theirs was a brief existence--they only released two albums.
Their self-titled debut, released in 1972, is a big record; heavy in sound, overflowing in groove, the album is initially a rather dense listen, but it's worth the effort, as it's pleasures soon start to reveal themselves. There's the trippy blues groove of "Empty Prophet," the Isaac Hayes-style "Peace Everyone" displays the Stax influence on the Escovedo brothers, while the Latin dance groove of "Ah! Ah!" and "Mamita Linda" will
put a smile on your face. Things get radically different, though, with "Love Not Then," when vocalist Wendy Haas takes the lead, and the band transforms into a 5th Dimension pop band. Less successful is "Ain't Got No Special Woman," where the duo sounds like a knockoff of their former band, Santana. Still, that one low spot doesn't overpower the greatness of the whole, as "Azteca" is a gem of a debut.

"Pyramid of the Moon", released in 1973, found the group reigning in the overwhelming sonic diversity of their debut, in favor of a somewhat straightforward Latin jazz sound.
"Someday We'll Get By" is rather standard Latin jazz-rock, and it really sets the tone for the rest of the album. While the grooves are smooth, something about the record feels missing; one longs for the up-and-down listening experience of the debut. Perhaps they were going for a more commercial sound--that would explain the slickness and the more pop-oriented material, such as "Find Love Today," while "Red Onions" borrows a little too heavily from "La Bamba," and feels like a knockoff of Ritchie Valens' signature hit. Yes, it's a traditional song, but even traditional songs and melodies can become cliched.
This more commercial direction didn't help sales, and the collective quietly dissolved shortly after the album's release. Guitarist Neal Schon would soon find commercial success with his band, Journey, and Pete Esovedo's daughter Sheila would, in a few years' time, become well known as percussionist and pop star Sheila E.
The idea of a musically diverse psychedelic Latin jazz fusion rock orchestra was a noble one, though perhaps "Azteca" was lightning bugs in a jar, a magical moment that couldn't be replicated.


Available here.

Lisa Germano "No Elephants" Review

Reviewed By Joseph Kyle

Lisa Germano's solo work has always been dark in nature, yet possessing an innocent charm and a curiosity about the way the world works. "No Elephants" is no exception; if anything, it's her darkest, starkest record to date, with Germano often accompanied only by a piano, drum machine, or guitar, as well as field recordings of birds and outdoor life. Stripped down in such a bare-bones arrangement gives the songs an atmosphere that can be disturbing--especially for those who may not be familiar with her work. For those who know her, there's plenty to love here. Highlights include "Up In The Air," "Diamonds," and "Ruminants" - three songs cut from the same cloth, her breathy singing over a simple piano line. It's minimalism that is both haunting and beautiful, a musical listening experience both inviting and off-putting. "No Elephants" isn't for everyone, and at this point in her career, Germano is simply making the music she wants to make, and for those who know her work, the result is a beautiful, sublime masterpiece.

Available on CD here and digitally here.

Mehrpouya "Soul Raga" Review

Reviewed By Joseph Kyle

Iranian musician Abbas Mehrpouya may best be known for being the man who brought traditional Indian music to Iran, his music transcends easy categorization. He is known primarily for his sitar work, but this two-disc collection of singles and his sole album shows that Mehrpouya was a much more internationally inspired musician, and not wholly inspired merely by Eastern sounds. Sure, moments like "Soul Raga," "Ghame Tanha Instrumental" and "Solenzara" clearly put him in the same category as the masterful Ravi Shankar, it would be wrong to assume that particular sound was his masterwork. Soul Raga will surprise, for while traditional sitar music is his forte, he was just as capable of taking on Middle Eastern ballads ("Sareban"), African funk ("Ghabileye Leyli"), and, surprisingly, American musical styles like rockabilly ("To Bemani Va Man"), easy listening ("To Koyaje"), and hot jazz ("Bargizan")! He was a nimble composer, able to adapt sounds and styles from around the world and make them into his own. The best moment, however, would have to be "African Jumbo," where he takes on the endless funk of Fela Kuti and shows himself to be a master of that style as well, as the eleven and a half minutes this song requires will turn you into an ecstatic, dancing mess. That Mehrpouya easily and masterfully sponged up the musical styles of his day and reprocessed them into something so unique, enjoyable, and masterful is proof of the man's genius as a musician.

Available here.

Arbouretum "Coming Out Of The Fog" Review

Reviewed by Joseph Kyle

Thrill Jockey

Baltimore's Arbouretum has always made big, heavy psych-rock, and with "Coming Out of the Fog", they've continued that trend, but they push the boundaries of rock without going into heavy jam-out territory, as they have on previous records. Thus, the sound of this rather brief album ranges from the soft and sublime to the overbearingly heavy. Vocalist Dave Hermann has a style that is gritty and raw and haunting, but is, curiously, more Peter Murphy than Neil Young. That being the case, Neil Young's Crazy Horse is a natural point of comparison, especially on the barbed-wired tough "The Promise" and "World Split Open," as the sunburned, stoned melodies clearly share DNA with "Zuma" and "Tonight's the Night".
Though they can do loud and heavy quite well, they're also masters of subtle beauty; "Oceans Don't Sing," is a simple, sorrowful country-blues weeper, and when Hermann sings "Everyone says it'll come to an end/Oh, but oceans don't sing of impossible things," you believe him.
Better still is the title track that closes out the album, a dusty, solemn number that is accentuated with sad piano and even sadder pedal steel. It has all the power and feel of the end of a tragic western; close your eyes and you can easily imagine credits rolling. It's a nice ending, and after the rough and heavier moments that preceded it, it's a calming balm. "Coming Out of the Fog" is a masterful blend of heavy and soft, and shows that the fellows of Arbouretum have quietly become masters of the genre.

Available here on Vinyl and here on CD.
 

Touch "Street Suite" Review

Guerssen Records

Reviewed by Joseph Kyle

"Street Suite" is the sole album release of the St. Louis based Touch; released in 1969, this record splits the difference between psych rock, country, and blues rock. Vocal duties are split between Raymond Stone and Paulette Butts, two unique singers of two distinct styles. Butts' voice, a cross between Grace Slick and Bobbie Gentry, is husky yet gentle, and serves to temper the hokum style of Raymond Stone. While not technically a bad singer, Stone occasionally affects a forced Southern accent, which keeps the heavy blues jam of "Catfish" from reaching its full potential. He fares better on the Grateful Dead-like "Got to Be Traveling On," a funky country singalong, replete with kazoos. When he drops that affectation, he sounds less like Jerry Garcia and more like Jerry Reed or Dan Hicks. But Paulette is the real star here, and they know it. The opening medley may start off slightly cheesy anthem "Happy Face," but it turns into a rather serious political manifesto of "Beginnings/Get a Gun." She really shines on "Let's Keep the Children on the Streets,"  a protest song, and even though the band's style can generously be called a schizophrenic romp through blues, rock, and psychedelia, it's her powerful singing that keeps the song from falling apart. That ramshackle number gives away to the straightforward blues of "Motor City Burning," which then gives way to the funky and fine "Gettin' Off," with Stone finally showing himself to be the superb blues singer only hinted at in "Catfish." Shortly after this album was recorded, Butts left for California, a lineup change would shift the focus to Stone, and the band would split after releasing two singles. "Street Suite" is not a particularly spectacular album, but it still possesses that innocent charm that comes with a band's formative years.