Blues Magoos-Electric Comic Book

DSCN4513Another week come and gone with all the ups and downs typically associated there within.  This record was $4.00 at the first record show I attended last summer.  There is another next weekend at the Southwest Hilton.  I am really on the fence about attending as I already have too much a backlog of records at this point.  They are pretty overwhelming and normally I only spend about 30 mins there looking at a handful of booths.  However, I can usually find a diverse selection of records there.  Anyway, back to this one,  I got it to add more rock and roll.  Plus it had “Gloria” on it which is one of my favorite songs, not because I like Van Morrison but probably because of Matt Dillion and seeing “The Outsiders” as a kid.

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The Blues Magoos were formed in the Bronx in 1964.  Originally called the Trenchcoats, they changed their name and made a few lineup tweaks to become one of the earliest psychedelic bands and one of the first not associated with the West Coast.  Their first album, Psychedelic Lollipop, along with its single, “(We Ain’t Got) Nothing Yet” were their biggest hits.

This album, released in 1967, followed and showcased their psychedelic garage rock sound.  It yielded three singles but they along with the album were not as successful as the first album and after one more album they called it quits.  However, the band’s management had alternate plans and signed them up to a new label.  So a few members soldiered on under a new incarnation until 1970.  The band did get back together in 2008 with classic members Ralph Scala, Peppy Thielhelm, and Geoff Daking and toured up at least into 2015.

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Blues Magoos Web Page

This album is pretty decent.  As stated above, the sounds are pretty garage heavy rock and roll.  The songs showcase the psychedelic leanings with “Pipe Dream”, “There’s a Chance  We Can Make It”, and ” Albert Common is Dead” as well as their sense of humor with filler tracks such as “Intermission” and “That’s All Folks”.  Pretty good album all together.DSCN4514

For a sample, I went with one of the singles “Life is But a Cher O’ Bowlies” and because I always play favorites, their version of the classic, “Gloria”.12269801_1

Satisfactory Record.

Enoch Light and the Brass Mengerie- ST

 

DSCN4501This was 80 cents.  I usually snap up anything Enoch Light related.  Either way, the track list on this album was impressive enough.  I was a bit dismayed when I pulled the record out and say a different label on the vinyl.  However, this is a misprint as the music on the record corresponds with this album.instrument_brass

This album was produced by Enoch Light and arranged by Dick Hyman.  If you follow this blog, you know I have posted a handful of Light’s albums in the past.  Back to the point, this record was released on Project 3 Records, Light’s label after he sold Command Records. It came out in 1969.DSCN4503

The album features popular hits done, as the title would suggest, with a focus on brass.  Songs include “Wichita Lineman”, “Fool on the Hill”, “Both Sides Now”,  “California Dreamin”, “Soulful Strut” , and “My Favorite Things”  although John Coltrane’s version makes it hard for me to consider any others.DSCN4502

For samples, I went with two.  First off is Bob Dylan’s “Blowin in the Wind”. I really like how the brass arrangement puts a totally different color to the song.  This version is more peppy and upbeat, completely changing the solemn delivery of the original.  To further the effect, Brazilian whistles are used at the end to give a Carnival effect.  Second, we have the Door’s “Touch Me” which already was a silly song to begin with.  This version, complete with brief Wagner-esque interludes, pays tribute to popular arrangers of the day such as Bob Crewe, Burt Bacharach, and Bert Kaempfert, although to truly appreciate their influence on this track, you really have to listen to a bunch of old records like I do.

Dick Hyman’s Webpage

Satisfactory record as always from Mr Light.  Also of the time of this post, Dick Hyman is still alive and playing concerts this summer up and down the West Coast as well as New York.

 

 

Trio Los Peregrinos- Encore

DSCN4521This was $2.40.  I haphazardly selected it to play on Cinco De Mayo without really reading the back cover.  As a result, I totally realize it is very insulting to pass something that is Guatemalan/Bolivian off as Mexican so that is not the intent.  Next year, I will try a bit harder to get some Mexican content on May 5th.  According to the writing on the album which I assume is from the previous owner, this record is “Good”.18_%20L_Gatica%20y%20Trío%20Los%20Peregrinos_%20Ecran%201160,%2014-4-1953(3)

Other than the back cover and some Chilean web pages Google-translated into broken English, getting information on the Trio Los Peregrinos was tough.  So this is what I came up with and it may not be all factually correct.  I believe Trio Los Peregrinos (translated into the Three Pilgrims) was formed in Chile around 1953 as a backing band to Bolivian crooner Raul Shaw Moreno, who found success in Chile.

As time went by the Chilean members of the trio left and were replaced by Mario Barrios and Hugo Encianas, both from La Paz, Bolivia.  At some time, Moreno (who was more popular than Frank Sinatra in Chile) abandoned the group and became a soloist.  One webpage suggests a disagreement with his brother caused this.  Anyway, the Trio went on its own, adding Harold Mendoza from Guatemala. According to the back cover, the band has won many awards all over Latin America, including Gold Records in Chile and a Golden Palm Award at the 1967 International Festival for Song and Dance.

DSCN4522This album was their American debut and I believe it is a repackaging of some of their earlier recorded hits.  It is quite a collection of South American tunes.  Folk songs on this album come from Boliva, Guatemala, Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, Spain, and California.  The songs are a good mix of folk styles including tangos, boleros, and cha-cha-chas.Los Peregrinos

For a sample, I went with the Guatemalan tune “Perdacito De Mujar” which Google translates into “A Little Bit of Women”.  It is the fastest number on the album.

Satisfactory record.

Connie Francis & Hank Williams Jr- Sing Great Country Favorites

jr__connie_francis_hank_williams-sing_great_country_favorites(1)This gem was all of forty cents at the Half Price Books in Pearland.  The cashier, being a Trekkie, found the album cover funny, mainly for Hank Williams Jr’s choice of apparel. I just found it to be insanely under priced. Upon closer inspection, he does kind of resemble James Tiberius Kirk.Connie Francis and Hank Williams, Jr_

This album ,released in 1964, came out at contrasting transition points of both Connie Francis and Hank Williams Jr’s careers.  Francis’s chart popularity was beginning to wane at this point, mainly due to the British Invasion.  Williams, on the other hand, was an up and comer and still mostly an imitator of his father, a role that brought him no joy.  This conflict was detailed on an earlier post I wrote about Jr.  Regardless, this was Williams’ second album whereas Francis had an extensive discography at this point.

Earlier Hank Williams Jr Post

The two teamed up to make this gem which was a collection of popular country songs.  The duets include “Send Me the Pillow that You Dream On”, “Walk On By”, “Wolverton Mountain”, “Mule Skinner’s Blues”, and “If You Got The Money, I’ve Got The Time”. The two pair up well together and the album itself is a pretty good little collection. Additionally, the Jordanaires performed the back up vocals.

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For a sample, I decided to go with “Wabash Cannonball”.  I felt their version of “Send Me the Pillow” was too short.  Furthermore, I felt this best reflected the duo’s combined talents as well as interplay.

I always get a kick out of young Hank before Monday Night Football came around.  Anyway, pretty good little record and only forty cents.  Satisfactory.

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Thompson Twins- Into The Gap

DSCN4499When I saw this for 80 cents, I saw it as an excellent opportunity to post something from the last 30 years.  903084

1401x788-103367229Formed in England in 1977, Thompson Twins started life as a new wave band, paired down to a three piece pop group ( in which they would have their success) , and then a two piece until their demise in 1993.  The trio, Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, and Joe Leeway,  had big hairdo’s and big hits both in the UK and the US.  Madonna joined them onstage at Live Aid in 1985.

Wikipedia Page

This was their fourth and most successful studio album.  Released in 1984, it went to #1 in the UK and #10 in the US.  It produced five singles including “Hold Me Now”.DSCN4500

For a sample, I went with one of those singles, “Sister of Mercy”.a6ae938c37b9017a4ab2588e6e06836c tom_bailey_then_now joe-leeway

What can I say.  Really do not feel like writing much today so here’s the post.  Satisfactory album.  If you have any further questions, may I direct you to Google.

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The Red Army Ensemble- Vol. 2

DSCN4531If your May Day celebration are spilling into Monday, here is an album for you. This was $3.20.  I did an earlier post on the Ensemble before so I was familiar with their work.  I also really liked the last album.  At the time, the Ensemble was still going under the moniker of the Soviet Army Chorus.red_army_choir_large

Link to earlier album post.

With this, we start another month of the blog with one of my favorite musical groups.  This album was recorded at the EMI studio in Abbey Road, London to correspond with a tour of England and a performance at the Royal Albert Hall to commemorate their 35th anniversary.20120315redstar2

This album , released in 1963, is another collection of various tunes sung by the choir.  Songs vary from instrumentals, to Ukrainian songs, to a Scottish folk song, to standard Russian fare.  The songs are done in the same patriotic style of the last album.  Overall, it is a good album.  DSCN4532

One aspect of the chorus that really is not represented on the albums is the fact that they had dancers in their ensemble.  Some of these numbers sound like they probably had elaborate folk dances to accompany them,Russians-Quebec-City-400th-Canada-333

I was stuck between various numbers to post as a sample, so again, i am going with multiple tracks.  First is the Russian folk song “A Birch Tree in a Field Did Stand”.  Next, we have about solider’s riding in thier homeland, “Song of the Plains”. Moving on, we have “Kamarinskaya” a balalaika driven instrumental .  Finally, we end with “Zaparozhtsi Dance”.  It is a soldier’s dance and was frequently used as their closing number along with dancers and flashing swords.Russians-Quebec-City-400th-Canada-318

Top Rated album for me.

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