Brigitte Fontaine - Brigitte Fontaine est... (1970)

Posted by Amelia Swhizzagers On 4:19 AM 0 comments

Brigitte Fontaine's first album, arranged by Jean Claude Vannier (who had also done arrangements for Serge Gainsbourg), is her most normal and accessible record. It's still not terribly normal by pop standards, its arty songs dressed up with period Continental orchestration and quirky melodies and vocal deliveries. These can both hark back to Edith Piaf-styled material, or look forward to slight avant-garde/experimentalism. At times it sounds like the kind of thing Francoise Hardy might have done had she continued to develop along adventurous lines and keep pace with progressive pop and rock trends in the late '60s. In fact, songs like "Une Fois Mais Pas Deux" sound rather close to Hardy's best late-'60s material, but Hardy would have never done anything as goofy as "L'Homme Objet," with its music-box backing, or as odd as "Eternelle," with its tribal male backup vocals and rhythms, and "Blanche Neige," with its overdubbed tropical bird effects.
Tracks
1 Il Pleut
2 Le Beau Cancer
3 Il Se Passe des Choses
4 Une Fois Mais Pas Deux
5 L' Homme Objet
6 Eternelle
7 Blanche Neige
8 Comme Rimbaud
9 Dommage Que Tu Sois Mort
10 Je Suis Inadaptée
11 Cet Enfant Que Je T'Avais Fait
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Archie Bell & the Drells - Tighten Up (1969)

Posted by Amelia Swhizzagers On 4:13 AM 0 comments

Archie Bell & the Drells from Houston,Texas hit #1 R&B/#1 Pop with the certified million-selling dance classic, "Tighten It Up." They also scored several hits produced or supervised by Philly Soul producers Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff such as "I Can't Stop Dancing," "(There's Gonna Be A) Showdown," and "The Soul City Walk." The Drells were — at varying times — Archie's brother Lee Bell, James Wise, Joe Cross, Billy Butler, Lucious Larkins and Willie Pernell. Because Bell wanted the group's name to rhyme and to avoid confusion with Harvey, IL based group The Dells, he came up with The Drells.
Archie Bell was still on a tour of duty in Vietnam when "Tighten Up," the B-side of a single he had recorded called "Dog Eat Dog," broke out and hit the top of the charts in 1968. Infectious and utterly danceable, "Tighten Up" became Bell's claim to fame, even though he and the Drells had other hits, including "I Can't Stop Dancing" and "(There's Gonna Be A) Showdown" after they began working with Philly soul producers and writers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. All of these are included in this succinct introduction to Archie Bell & the Drells (as well as the fine "A World Without Music"), and for listeners looking for a set with just the hits, this one fills the bill with no frills and no fuss.
Tracks
1 Tighten Up, Pt. 1
2 Tighten Up, Pt. 2
3 I Don't Wanna Be a Playboy
4 You're Mine
5 Knock on Wood
6 Give Me Time Bell
7 In the Midnight Hour
8 When You Left the Heartache Began
9 A Thousand Wonders
10 A Soldier's Prayer
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Magna Carta - This is (1969)

Posted by Amelia Swhizzagers On 3:59 AM 0 comments

Magna Carta was originally formed in London on 10 May 1969, by Chris Simpson (guitar, vocals), Lyell Tranter (guitar, vocals) and Glen Stuart (vocals).

The band is renowned for their gentle ballad style and mythical subject matter. Although never purely a folk band, they managed to successfully bridge the gap between folk and folk rock. The trio released albums for Fontana Records and Vertigo Records, enjoying particular success with 1970's Seasons before Tranter returned to Australia. Davey Johnstone joined the line-up as his replacement, recording Songs From Wasties Orchard and In Concert with the band before leaving to work with Elton John, with whom he is still playing.
Tracks
01. Times of change
02. Daughter daughter
03. Old John Parker
04. I am no more
05. Ballad of Francis Alabadalejo
06. Spinning wheels of time
07. Romeo Jack
08. Mid winter
09. Shades of grey
10. Emily thru the window pane
11. Sea & sand (The isle of Pabay)
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The Allman Brothers - Idlewild South (1970)

Posted by Amelia Swhizzagers On 6:02 AM 0 comments

Idlewild South is the second album of The Allman Brothers Band, released in 1970.

Unlike the Band's self-titled debut album, Idlewild South enjoyed some popular success as well as critical enthusiasm, mostly due to what Rolling Stone magazine called "briefer, tighter, less 'heavy' numbers" which were more radio-friendly. The two most prominent of these were "Midnight Rider" and "Revival", the latter of which, in conjunction with the instrumental "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed", foreshadowed the impact of Dickey Betts' songwriting ability upon the band.

The album title stemmed from the band's nickname for a farmhouse it rented in Georgia during the recording, the busy comings and goings at which reminded them of New York City's Idlewild Airport.

"Midnight Rider" has been covered by many artists, including Gregg Allman on his solo album Laid Back. "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" would go on to become iconic, along with Whipping Post one of the Band's signature concert jams.
Tracks
1.Revival (4:06)
2.Don't Keep Me Wonderin' (3:31)
3.Midnight Rider (2:59)
4.In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (6:57)
5.Hoochie Coochie Man (4:58)
6.Please Call Home (4:03)
7.Leave My Blues at Home (4:17)
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Loadstone - Loadstone (1969)

Posted by Amelia Swhizzagers On 3:28 AM 0 comments

The group formed in Las Vegas, NV. Devers, Abernathy and Phillips were backing Bobby Darin at the time when he went on his hiatus to find himself, leaving them looking for a gig. Ryan, Douglas, Sterling and Cernuto were freelance musicians in Vegas looking for work. Thanks to a guitar player by the name of Mike Richards, who originally was in the group, they got together and formed a cover band to make some cash. The band worked a club in Vegas called 'The Pussycat A Go Go' where Andy Williams used to hang out. He signed the band to his label, Barnaby Records, because of the big following the band attracted to its live performances. Andy also got Dave Grusin to produce the album as well as play piano on one track, Dayshine. The album was recorded in a two week period in the Summer of 1969 and other than record promotion concerts and a few club gigs in L.A., the band never toured.

The albums lack of sales caused the group to slowly dissolve to working lounge gigs in Vegas. When that was over the band members went on to other groups. Today, all the members are still working as musicians in one capacity or another except for Douglas, who passed on in 1991.

The groups energy in live performance could never really be captured on record. The horn sound created by the Trumpet, Trombone and Sax with the funky rhythm section was truly incredible.

Tracks:
01. See the Light
02. Keep on Burning
03. Dayshine
04. Time
05. It Couldn't Be Bad
06. Flower Pot
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