Sunday, December 31, 2023

Various: 2131 South Michigan Avenue - 60's Garage & Psychedelia From U.S.A. And Destination Records 2009

 

GREAT SOCIETY

In the mid-'60s, Chicago had one of the liveliest rock & roll scenes in the nation, with great bands packing the city's teen clubs and a few even making their way onto the national charts. The most notable act on the Windy City garage rock scene was the Shadows of Knight, but they were far from the only game in town; while they recorded for the local Dunwich Records label (who had national distribution through Atlantic), the Buckinghams, the Messengers, and a number of other notable Chicago groups were signed to U.S.A. Records, an important regional label run by Jim Golden.

THE FOGGY NOTIONS

Most of the U.S.A. masters have been out of print for years, but thankfully, Sundazed Records has stepped up to release a comprehensive sampler of their output (as well as their sister label, Destination Records), and 2131 South Michigan Avenue: 60s Garage and Psychedelia from U.S.A. and Destination Records is a fine, lavishly packaged collection of 40 rare tracks from their archives.

THE MESSENGERS

Dunwich tended to focus on the tougher and grittier Chicago-area teen acts, while Golden demanded a bit more polish from his U.S.A. artists, so anyone hoping for a set of Back from the Grave-style bashing should look elsewhere. Similarly, the label petered out in 1968, so most of the "psychedelic" material here is of the "Wow, I Feel Strange".

TEENAGE SHUTDOWN

But U.S.A had plenty of acts who could rock out, and Golden and his crew knew what to do with them in the studio; anyone with a serious taste for mid-'60s rock will be impressed with the scope and talent displayed on this set. The Buckinghams were U.S.A.'s biggest act, and their hit, "Kind of a Drag," wasn't available for this set, but their energetic take on "I'm a Man" shows they were heavier than their signature tune would suggest.

OSCAR HAMOD AND THE MAJESTICS

While Oscar Hamod & the Majestics had one of the least graceful names in the history of Chicago rock & roll, they delivered some forceful R&B-influenced performances, including a great vocal take of the Bar-Kays classic "Soul Finger." The Messengers scored a Midwest hit with their version of "In the Midnight Hour," but the flipside, "Hard, Hard Year," is a great slice of moody folk-rock that deserves a wider hearing. Every scene had at least one all-girl band back in the day, and the Daughters of Eve were a great one, and "Help Me Boy" is top-notch AM pop.

THE SHADY DAZE

A long way from their later horn-infused recordings for Columbia, the Flock offers up some Byrdsian jangle on "Are You the Kind" and the impressively addled "What Would You Do If the Sun Died." The Lost Agency let loose with some deadly fuzztone swagger as they warn the opposite sex about their troubles with commitment on "One Girl Man."

THE CRYAN'  SHAMES

And The Cryan' Shames merge tough garage rock guitar with silky harmonies on the terrific "Ben Franklin's Almanac." As usual for a Sundazed project, the mastering makes the most of these rare tapes, the liner notes are entertaining and informative, and there are lots of great photos and label scans to go along with the great music. 2131 South Michigan Avenue is a superb tribute to one of the key labels on the Midwest rock & roll scene in the garage rock era, along with the excellent bands who created music worth documenting, and this is likely to be the landmark garage rock reissue of 2009.

GARY AND THE KNIGHT LITES

Despite being a tiny indie label, USA's president Jim Golden had a instinct for discovering local Chicago and regional garage bands with a gift for writing catchy pop-garage and pop-pysch songs and then crafting them for AM radio. Had USA-Destination had stronger promotion, many of these could have been national monsters like the Buckinghams "Kind Of A Drag" was.

THE COUNTS

Everything is first rate here from the packaging, mastering from original tapes, liner notes and a excellent track selection. My only gripe is both CD's run around 45 minutes - fine for vinyl, but a little disapointing for CD fans knowing there's other gems that could have been included as bonus cuts. And USA did cut some fine Soul-R&B and Girl Group tracks that could be included in future comps.

THE BUCKINHAMS

Otherwise this is a outstanding comp, and a very necessary buy for Chicago and Garage rock fans. Great sounding collection. Many great tunes on here for fans of the era. If you love American garage rock and pop with mild stabs at psychedelia here and there, then this look at USA records should be right next to your Nuggets, Pebbles, and Mindrocker box sets. The Cryan Shames, The Cherry Slush, The Lost Agency, and Oscar Hamod and the Majestics sound absolutely great in this collection.

THE CHERRY SLUSH

As we have come to expect from Sundazed, the production quality on this two-disc set is exemplary. The digital transfer from the original tapes was carried out so well that hiss and sound-boxing is virtually non-existent. The material contained is a selection of bands that recorded on the Dimension and/or USA label out of Chicago, Illinois during the 1960s. Most of the songs are originals, though a few covers (Yardbirds, Kinks and Beatles) make their way in). Some of the cuts will raise the question: "Why didn't this band break-out nationally?" Other cuts will answer that question.

THE DAUGHTERS OF EVE

[(George Michael USA)

My band, The Park Ave Playground, is on this compilation. I saw quite a few of these acts live back in the day either because we were on the bill with them or they were at a venue in my area so my biases are evident but I've listened to many of these garage band collections and I think that this is among the best.

THE SHEFFILDS

Lot's of excellent Chicago bred musicians in their early stages represented. The info on the pull out sleeve is well written and full of interesting facts about the acts included on these two CDs. The sound of the old recordings is amazingly crisp due no doubt to the amazing technical abilities we have available these days.]
This set is a necessity for anyone who favors the music of the 60s.
                    

Various – 2131 South Michigan Avenue - 60's Garage & Psychedelia From U.S.A. And Destination Records
Label: Sundazed Music – SC 11201
Format: 2 x CD, Compilation, Remastered, Mono
Country: US
Released: 2009
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock
          


CD1.

                             


01. The Lost Agency – One Girl Man   3:02
Written-By – Lonney Thome
02. The Shady Daze – I'll Make You Pay   1:55
Written-By – B. Jordan, Glen Rupp, Mark Driz
03. Oscar Hamod & The Majestics – Got To Have Your Lovin'   2:35
Written-By – Oscar Hamod
04. The Foggy Notions – Take Me Back And Hold Me   2:28
Written-By – Suekoff, Mazique, Kaplan, Hoy
05. Lord And The Flies – Echoes   2:02
Written-By – Steve North
06. The Messengers – Midnight Hour   2:29
Written-By – S. Cropper, W. Pickett
07. Ronnie Ross And The Good Guys – If You Ever Go   1:59
Written-By – R. Rosciano
08. Oscar Hamod & The Majestics – Soul Finger   2:31
Written-By – Cauley, Cunningham, Alexander, King*, Jones, Caldwell
09. The Jokers – I'll Never Let You Go   2:17
Written-By – David Roth, Frank Bell
10. The Sheffields – Do You Still Love Me   2:43
Written-By – John Dunn
11. The Great Society – I'm The One For You   2:16
Written-By – Sonnenleiter, Domino
12. The Cryan' Shames – Ben Franklin's Almanac   1:59
Written-By – Jim Fairs
13. The Foggy Notions – Need A Little Lovin' (Cold End)   2:57
Written-By – Peter Hoy
14. Oscar Hamod & The Majestics – I Can't Explain   2:12
Written-By – Pete Townshend
15. The Buckinghams – Don't Want To Cry (Unedited Version)   2:10
Written-By – Andre Seibert
16. The Boyz – Come With Me   2:31
Written-By – Ron Bucciarelli
17. The Cryan' Shames – You're Gonna Lose That Girl (Demo)   2:14
Written-By – Lennon-McCartney
18. The Cherry Slush – I Cannot Stop You   2:35
Written-By – Dick Wagner
19. The Lost Agency – Time To Dream   2:12
Written-By – Lonney Thome
20. The Buckinghams – ROWE Jukebox Promo    0:30

CD2.

              


01. The Counts – Stop Cheating On Me   2:31
Written-By – Keith Sippell, Mick Stanhope
02. Trafalgar Square – Til The End Of The Day   2:07
Written-By – Ray Davies
03. The Boyz –Hard Times All Over   2:12
Written-By – Bob Wilson (9)
04. Lord And The Flies – You Made A Fool Of Me   2:39
Written-By – Steve North
05. The Ricochettes – I Don't Want You   2:20
Written-By – Ar Kriegel
06. The Messengers – Hard Hard Year   2:36
Written-By – L. Ransford
07. Oscar Hamod & The Majestics – No Chance Baby   2:37
Written-By – Oscar Hamod
08. The Jokers – What'cha Gonna Do   2:47
Written-By – David Roth, Tom Allison
09. Gary And The Knight Lites – I Don't Need Your Help   2:42
Written-By – C. Colbert
10. The Flock – Are You The Kind   1:54
Written-By – F. Glickstein, R. Canoff
11. The Daughters Of Eve – Help Me Boy   2:29
Written-By – Larry Weiss, Scott English
12. The Buckinghams – I'm A Man   5:09
Written-By – Ellas McDaniel
13. Oscar Hamod & The Majestics – My Girl Is Waiting   2:24
Written-By – Oscar Hamod
14. Michael & The Messengers – Lifs (Don't Mean Nothin')   1:53
Written-By – Jack DeCarolis, Wayne Beckner
15. Park Avenue Playground – The Trip   2:26
Written-By – G. Eder
16. Park Avenue Playground – I Know   2:15
Written-By – M. Jones
17. The Cherry Slush – Gotta Take It Easy   2:04
Written-By – Bob Stanley
18. The Flock – What Would You Do If The Sun Died (Alternate Version)   2:44
Written-By – Fred Glickstein, Thomas Webb
19. The Lost Agency – Time To Dream (Alternate Vocal)   2:14
Written-By – Lonney Thome
20. The Daughters Of Eve – Radio Spot    0:18

MP3 @ 320 Size: 226 MB
Flac  Size: 410 MB

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Arto Tuncboyaciyan & Ara Dinkjian: Onno 1948-1996: Walking On The Endless Road 1998

   


 ARTO TUNCBOYACIYAN    

                              


Arto Tunçboyacıyan (born 4 August 1957 in Istanbul, Turkey) is a Turkish-Armenian multi-

instrumentalist avant-garde folk artist
who appeared on more than 200 records in Europe before arriving in the United States, where he went to work with numerous jazz legends including Chet Baker, Al Di Meola, and Joe Zawinul as well as a semi-regular stint with Paul Winter & The Earth Band.
                    

Arto fronts his own group called the Armenian Navy Band. He also worked with Turkish singer

Sezen Aksu and the Greek singer Eleftheria Arvanitaki.
As of 2011 he is also a member of the Paul Winter Consort. Also member of AVA Trio (Arto Tuncboyaciyan, Vahagn Hayrapetyan, Armen Hyusnunts) and Fifth Season Band (Arto Tunçboyacıyan - composition, percussion, vocals, Vahagn Hayrapetyan - piano, Makar Novikov - bass).

ARA DINKJIAN

                     


Real Name: Արա Տինքճեան / Ara Dinkjian

Armenian-American oud player and composer, born 1958 in New Jersey. Founder of the band Night Ark in 1986
. Son of Onnik Dinkjian.
His earliest professional musical experience was accompanying his father Onnik Dinkjian, a renowned Armenian folk and liturgical singer. Ara learned several Western and Eastern instruments (piano, guitar, dumbeg, clarinet) and in 1980 graduated from the Hartt College of Music, earning the country’s first and only special degree in the instrument for which he has become most well-known, the oud.
                       

Ara’s compositions have had a universal appeal. His songs have been recorded by world famous

instrumentalists and singers in 16 different languages, demonstrating that music does indeed unite people and cultures. His hit song Homecoming (Dinata, Dinata) was performed at the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2013 at the Nevruz Festival in Dikranagerd (Diyarbekir), over 1 million people sang his song Picture (Ağladıkça) to welcome peace after years of conflict in the region.
                   

Many of his compositions have appeared in movie and television soundtracks.
Some of his pieces

are even sung with ancient Hebrew texts during the Jewish High Holy Days. Ara Dinkjian is considered one of the finest oud players in the world. His style is a very personal one, with an emphasis on a uniquely beautiful tone. He has appeared throughout the world on concert stages, oud festivals, seminars, and master classes, performing in 24 different countries. He has also had historic collaborations with iconic artists such as Sezen Aksu and Eleftheria Arvanitaki.
                   

Arto Tuncboyaciyan & Ara Dinkjian – Onno 1948-1996: Walking On The Endless Road
Label: Libra Music – LM 011-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: Greece
Released: 1998
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Ethnic, Μουσική Του Κόσμου    
                      

ARTO WITH ARA

TRACKS

                     


01. Walking On The Endless Road (C Min)    2:35
02. Heru Katsir    6:57
03. My Royal Brother    5:36
04. Balbul    3:50
05. I'm Singing To The Mountain    4:35
06. Flames Of The Night    2:39
07. Rolling In My Sleep    8:16
08. I Know You Hear Me    2:27
09. Sadana    3:39
10. Walking On The Endless Road (F Maj)    1:57

BONUS TRACK

Al Di Meola + Arto Tuncboyaciyan:
11.
Heru Mertar - Don't Go So Far   4:39
                   

Flac Size: 251 MB

Night Ark on Urban Aspirines HERE

Friday, December 29, 2023

7-Odds: What Are The Odds? 2018

 

7-ODDS is a garage /punk band from Athens-Greece.Upbeat, melodic, oldschool tunes, coming straight


out of little private morgues,
drive-ins and other cult sceneries in our minds,in order to be shared with everyone who is determined to refuse to become a stupid robot.
                     

Following numerous gigs in Athens and festivals around Greece, with highlights the support act to The

Sonics (April 2017) and The Godfathers (December 2016), we returned to Matrix Recording Studio to record our debut L.P. ''What Are The Odds?''
                     

Three years after our first E.P. "People Wanna See" (Frontyard Records 2015) - which is sold out - , the

analogue tape caught 12 original songs. These, date from back to the early days of the band up to a couple of months before the sessions and so put to map this  period.
                   

Μελωδικές, παλιομοδίτικες, ανεβαστικές μουσικές, κατευθείαν μέσα από drive-ins, μικρά ιδιωτικά

νεκροτομεία και άλλα cult σκηνικά του μυαλού μας, για να τις μοιραστούμε με τον καθένα ο οποίος είναι αποφασισμένος να αρνηθεί την εξέλιξή του σε ένα χαζό ρομπότ.
                          

Στο "What Are The Odds?" μπορεί να διακρίνει κανείς ίσες μεζούρες από τον τρόπο που χώνεψαν την

μακρυμάλλικη hard rock παράδοση σε συνδυασμό με την garage αυθάδεια οι Last Drive, αλλά και psych τάσεις να εναρμονιστούν με την αναβίωση του συγκεκριμενου ήχου που συμβαίνει παγκοσμίως και φυσικά επηρεάζει και την ελληνική σκηνή.  

 

 

 

7-Odds – What Are The Odds
Label: Ikaros Records – IKR022
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition
Country: Greece
Released: Oct 15, 2018
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic
     



SIDE A.

                    


A1. Fine Disaster
A2. Hold 'n' Share
A3. Don't Wanna Talk About It
A4. Swag Stomp
A5. Parking Lots
A6. 21 Minutes

SIDE B.

                   


B1. Too Bitter To Win
B2. Funny How Things Take a Turn
B3. Alley Walk
B4. 5-0 Number
B5. Surfowar
B6. Right Ahead

released October 26, 2018

Recorded Mixed and Mastered at Matrix Athens Recording Studios February 2017.
Co-Produced by George Koltsiou and 7-Odds.
Produced by 7-Odds and Ikaros Records.



 

LINE - UP

                       


Boy Racer Nick: Bass - backing vocals.
M.P. Kouk: Guitars - backing vocals.
Alexandros Misirliadis: Keyboards - backing vocals.
Georgy Politis: Vocals.
Marios 2: Drums - modular synthesizer.

With the precious help of:

Vassilis Magkanas
(SuperPuma Athens) Vocals on: ‘’Don’t wanna talk about it’’ and ‘’Funny how things take a turn’’.
Maria Bozendomova: Vocals and flute on ‘’Right Ahead’’.

MP3 @ 320 Size: 93 MB
Flac  Size: 244 MB

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Various: A Psychedelic Psauna (In Four Parts) 1991

 

Various A Psychedelic Psauna (Rather nice 1991 UK 23-track vinyl double LP including 1990ies British psychedelic underground & featuring such natty beat combos as Ozric Tentacles, The Bevis Frond, Magic Mushroom Band, Dr Brown, Porcupine Tree, Gothics, Reefus Moon, Mandragora & many more.
               


Various – A Psychedelic Psauna (In Four Parts)
Label: Delerium Records – DELCD005
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: 1991
Genre: Rock
Style: Space Rock, Psychedelic Rock
               


TRACKS
          

PART. A. GOING OUT    

                


01. No Artist – A Word From Our Sponsor    0:32
02. Sun Dial – Mind Train Jam    5:32
03. Magic Mushroom Band – Don't Be Afraid    5:45
04. Nick Riff – Lost & Wild    5:48
05. The Petals – Poisoned Air    3:17

RAPT. C. STAYING FOR A BIT        

                       


06. The Porcupine Tree – Linton Samuel Dawson    3:08
07. Dimentia 13 – Do The Jerk Off    3:00
08. Poisoned Electrick Head – Snobs    2:53
09. The Bevis Frond – Cold Rain & Snow    3:24

ARPT. I. GOING FURTHER

                             


10. Alice's Orb – Don't Know If I Should    4:20
11. John Fallon – Summers End In San Francisco    3:08
12. The Gothics – The Quest    3:21
13. Tyrnaround – Hello Or Goodbye    5:24

TRAP. D. LEAVING COMPLETELY

                    


14. The Colored Plank – Black Ferris Wheel    4:43
15. Mandragora – Conspiracy    3:46
16. Ozric Tentacles – Erp Riff '83    5:23
17. The Trodds – The Stalk    4:58
18. Treatment – Nightmare    7:23

MP3 @ 320 Size: 175 MB
Flac  Size: 453 MB