Pop Rock/Psychedelic/Sunshine Pop Orpheus - The Best Of Orpheus (1995 Big Beat)

 This double-CD compilation includes almost all of the tracks from their first three albums, as well as a couple from the one they did in 1971 for Bell (by which time Bruce Arnold was the only remaining original member). Over the course of two discs the group is given a more comprehensive and respectful retrospective than they deserve; the lushness turns to mushiness for all but the most rabid sunshine pop fans.

Despite the volume of material, the packaging isn't so hot either. Stray tracks are missing from the first two LPs, and although some of the material is apparently rare and unreleased (as it doesn't appear on the albums), details are not given in the extensive, typically self-aggrandizing liner notes by producer Alan Lorber; in fact, a few tracks are identified as coming from specific albums when in fact they did not appear on those discs. Those tracks include an alternate version of "Can't Find the Time to Tell You"; the peculiar "Anatomy of I've Never Seen Love Like This" (in which Lorber and Arnold, with narration, illustrate how they layered and produced an Orpheus track); and a live version of "Just a Little Bit" (redone on the second LP) by the Villagers, the pre-Orpheus folk duo that included future Orpheusmembers Bruce Arnold and Jack McKenes. The booklet manages to include a lot of information about the band without coming close to conveying a cohesive chronological history.(R. Unterberger, allmusic.com)

Very good two disc set of the nearly five years work of Orpheus. In my ears they had a very own style of pop rock/psychedelic/sunshine pop. Hope you will enjoy

Have fun
               Frank

                                               Flac part1   &  Flac part2     -  mp3@320

Australia Power Pop: Dom Mariani - Rewind And Play 2009 (Liberation Blue)

The former Go Starts/Stems/Someloves singer-songwriter is a walking repository of American garage bands, power pop, R&B, British invasion and classic US ballads. Here he's given himself the opportunity to break out of the mop-top, paisley print, cool guitar mould and let his songs and voice stand up for themselves.He's dusted off 12 of his early glories and overlooked gems and re-imagined them in a warm acoustic light. "With this album," he says, "it's not about styling a band around a certain thing any more." Helped out by keyboard player Nunzio Mondia, DM3's Pascal Bartolone and Majestic Kelp's Stu Loasby, the slower, stripped-back acoustic approach shines a new light on such stalwarts as When It Ends and the swinging 60s flirtation Just Like Nancy. 

Maybe Irish band Them's classic Here Comes the Night could have had a touch more menace but the Someloves' lustrous pop concoctions Melt and Know You Now make lovely sounds. No matter how pure his intentions, Mariani is like a Dalmatian when it hears a fire bell. He can't hold his impulses in check on Sunshine Glove, which is given the full Spanish Stroll/Willy DeVille feel. The same with the Stems hit At First Sight, which is stripped of its retro psychedelia but still chimes with a Byrds-like 12-string. Rewind & Play is ample proof that at the end of the day it comes down to the songs - and Mariani has them in abundance.(Ray Purvis, thewest.com)

Dom Mariani, a seasoned songwriter and singer for seminal Aussie psych-pop legends The Stems, steps forward in the midst of his second age to recount his songwriting career with a collection of stripped-back versions of songs from his catalogue. Normally alarm bells would ring here – aging rocker goes acoustic for a greatest hits play-list – but this is different. Firstly, it should be pointed out that Mariani wrote some genuinely great songs – songs that shine through as true pop statements, regardless of the format in which they’re played. And Mariani has not decided to opt for a super-clean, adult contemporary approach to performing these semi-acoustic numbers.

Instead he’s recruited a band of close friends and perform the songs in a relaxed, rough-hewn way that feels at keel with the garage leanings of the Stems. Highlights here are Melt, a particularly weary and bittersweet rendition of the Them classic Here Comes The Night, and of course, the 12-string-laden power-pop heart-breaker At First Sight, which, like Big Star’s September Gurls, never fails to raise a flutter in the chest. Great stuff.(Aidan Roberts, altmedia.net.au)

For Power Pop fans. Of course!

Enjoy!  Frank

                                                         Flac   &  mp3@320

Psychedelic Pop From Norway: 1 2 6 ‎– Graveyard Paradise:The Complete 1 2 6 & Taboo Recordings 1966-68 (2008 Ugly Things Records)

Hailing from the coldest, northernmost region of Norway, 1 2 6 (One- Two- Six) were inspired by the sounds of the Beatles, the Kinks, the Who and Bob Dylan, but blended these influences with an approach that was distinctly European. The brilliant original songwriting of Asa Krogtoft allied simple beat group arrangements and melodic psychedelic pop with a unique, often surrealistic poetic sensibility.

This 28- track CD anthology includes their complete works: the Curtains Falling album, non- LP singles, demos and rarities, and both singles by Asa ' s post- 1 2 6 band Taboo, all from the original master tapes.
Graveyard Paradise is the first time this material has been released outside of Norway. It includes an amazing array of original music: raw beat group rave- ups, dark folk- rock excursions, post- Revolver/ Pepper psychedelic moves, gorgeous orchestrated pop, and heavier freakbeat sounds.

Great jangly psychedelic pop sounds. I highly recommend this band if you like melodic popsike of the sixties.

Enjoy
          Frank

                                                      Flac part1   &  Flac part2      -  mp3@320

Welsh Folk & Pop by Mary Hopkin - Post Card 1969 (1991 Apple)

It was the British supermodel Twiggy who alerted Paul McCartney to the Welsh singer Mary Hopkin when Apple Records was looking for talent in 1968. The waifish soprano scored a huge worldwide smash with her first Apple single, the melancholy but rabble-rousing ballad "Those Were the Days," in late 1968; it actually knocked the Beatles' own "Hey Jude" out of the number one position in the U.K. Paul McCartney lent Hopkin a further hand by producing her first album and writing her second single, "Goodbye," which was also a hit. More comfortable with refined, precious ballads and folky pop than rock, Hopkin scored several more hit singles in the U.K., although she never entered the American Top 40 again. Her commercial success diminished as Apple's fortunes dwindled in the early '70s.

Paul McCartney produced this debut album of twee but pretty, romantic pop-folk. Besides "Those Were the Days" (which actually originally appeared only on the US version, though it's on the CD reissue now available throughout the world), the highlights are Donovan's "Lord of the Reedy River" and "The Honeymoon Song," which McCartney himself had sung with the Beatles way back in 1963 on the BBC. If there's a fault to be found, it's that there's too high a percentage of pre-rock/pop standards à la "There's No Business Like Show Business." As it turns out this was more due to the leanings of McCartney than Hopkin, who preferred the more simply arranged folk numbers such as the Donovan covers and the Welsh "Y Blodyn Gwyn." Also on board is a rather nice composition, "The Game," by Beatles producer George Martin, who contributed some piano and orchestra conducting to the album. The CD reissue includes George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin's "Someone to Watch Over Me" (which was on the original U.K. version of the LP, but was taken off the American counterpart), as well as the "Those Were the Days" B-side "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and versions of "Those Were the Days" that Hopkin sang in Italian and Spanish.(R. Unterberger, allmusic.com)

A lot of different songs here but the voice and vocal work of Mary Hopkin holds the album convincingly together. Good Job Mary (& Paul)

Enjoy
         Frank

                                                                           Flac   &   mp3@320

Pussy Cat - Boof! The Complete Pussy Cat 1966-1969 (2014 RPM)

Pussy Cat was the most tough sounding of France's '60s ye-ye girls. She looked to Britain for her inspirations, not home-grown, upbeat Gallic pop. She covered Small Faces, the Moody Blues, the Hollies and the Zombies. Her original songs - she was a rarity and wrote her own - were energized, hard edged, melodic and stomping. She put a French twist on the Mod era. BOOF! Is the first-ever Pussy Cat - born Evelyne Courtois - collection to be issued outside France.

Her complete '60s recordings, including two tracks unheard at the time, are collected. As a special bonus, her debut release, a 1965 EP with the band Les Petites Souris is also collected. They were France's first all-girl band. At age 17, she was their guitarist and wrote their songs. She was a pioneer. Pussy Cat took her name from the Tom Jones song 'What's New Pussycat'. She toured France with him. This package is the ultimate tribute to France's one-woman musical dynamo of the 1960s.

Really great collection if you like sixties french girls pop.
Have fun
              Frank

                                                                          Flac   &   mp3@320

Psychedelic Pop 1968: Phluph - Phluph 1968 (2014 Aurora)

Good to very good early psych album that sank in part, due to the Bosstown marketing fiasco. I see others describe it as blues psych and I wonder if they are hearing the same tracks I am. This is Hammond dominated, American psych pop done very well. Speaking of Hammond, the player here is great. Super imaginative, his playing brings to life and adds color to all the tracks but more importantly, his playing turns average tunes into interesting, above average tracks. Continually inventive, he never repeats himself thru the 10 album cuts and two bonus tracks. There is strong songwriting, great harmony vocals, some nice lead licks, well proportioned fuzz and that damn Hammond organ, all of which makes this one and done release by Phluph a very nice psych album. Another in a long list that showed more than enough on their debut to warrant further releases but it wasn't meant to be. In the end, not a bad album to leave as your destiny. Recommended. (heyday2day reader review by rate your music)

I just can second that what heyday2day in his reader review of rateyourmusic.com wrote. And there are a lot of very positive reviews about this album. The album is full of strong songs and it is a pity if the disc is at the end of the last song way too fast. Yes, recommended.
Enjoy
         Frank

                                                                         Flac   &   mp3@320

West Coast Sunshine Pop Rock Psychedelia :-) Earth Island - We Must Survive 1970

Little-known West Coast band, from Hollywood, California, USA. They made the one album in 1969 produced by Kim Fowley.

Quote from a blog "Hello, my name is Billy Gene Liska and I was surprised to discover my album on so many web sites for sale. I played lead guitar and vocals and co wrote the songs. We were not a canadian band, we were from hollywood california and bassist Skip Battin did not play on the album. The album was recorded at “Larabee Studios” in hollywood in the coarse of two weeks. That was our first time in a recording studio,1969."(from discogs)

A really wonderful album with pop, rock, sunshine pop and psychedelia sounds.
If you don't know the band give it a try.

Enjoy
         Frank

                                                                         Flac   &   mp3@320

Sixties Garage Rock By The Stowaways - In Our Time 1967 (1995 Collectables)

The Stowaways were a promising quintet who managed to leave behind an album's worth of impressive material on Calvin Newton's Justice Records label, based in Winston-Salem, NC. Tim Tatum was the lead singer, equally adept at lyrical Beatles covers or harder punk sounds, and the rest of the band was Tommy O'Neal on lead guitar, Paul Quick on rhythm guitar, Ken Knight on bass, and Ken Tanner at the drums. They had versatility and a knack for playing vocal and instrumental hooks for all they were worth, with a sound that intersected the Rolling Stones and the Beau Brummels at different moments.(allmusic)


Sixties garage band with some really good songs here.
Hope you have fun
                              Frank

                                                                        Flac   &  mp3@320

Answer to Anonymous...

Hello, Anonymous, what do you think I'm gonna do? First of all, I'll tell you how I see it: If you're really one of my favorite blogs, why don't you write publicly under your blogname? Why are you threatening me anonymously? Why are you anonymously threatening to send someone to smash my face in? Why are you threatening to report the blog? What do you think will happen?  If you want to report the blog, do it. Do whatever you want. And we both know who you are. You think that's all right to post mp3 files (because you like them) but not Flac? Can you tell me the difference, please.  To me you sound like preaching water and drinking wine. Next one you say is i am being arrogant. Tell me where i was arrogant. On the other hand, you're threatening me with sending someone to my home to smash my face in. And you think that's okay? And a guy like you tell me my behaviour is harmful for the blogger scene? What can i say more? Nothing! And i don't want to say more. Do whatever you want. If you want report the blog, do it. Apparently people like you can only act destructively if they don't get their will and are insulted. Your comment just show me how full of hate you are.
People like you will not tell me what i have to do or not.

British Psychedelia by Complex - Complex 1971 (1999 Wooden Hill)

Complex were an English band formed in 1968 consisting of lead guitarist Brian Lee, lead vocalist and drummer Tony Shakespeare, bass guitarist Lance Fogg and rhythm guitarist Tony Fisher. 
After some initial personnel changes, in early 1970 the line-up consisted of Brian, Tony (Shakespeare) and Lance with the addition of Steve Coe on keyboards. They were based in Blackpool in North-West England. In November 1970 they cut their first album, entitled simply "Complex". 
Originally devised as a demonstration record (demo) for bringing the band to the attention of major record companies for the purpose of obtaining a recording contract, it was recorded at "107 Studio" in St. Annes, engineered and mixed down by Graham Atkinson.

99 (vinyl) copies of the album were pressed by Craighall Studios in Scotland. The reason for such a limited release was the imposition of Purchase Tax on quantities greater than 99.
The album went on to become quite famous in "psych" album circles - "... one of the 'Holy Trinity' items of rare British psychedelia ..." and recently fetching $13-14000 on eBay for each copy. An unauthorised bootleg was made in 1991 but the quality was poor. 

A 1999 limited-edition re-release was authorised by the band on Wooden Hill records (Vinyl and CD versions). This was of much better quality soundwise and was quickly sold out. In 2012, Spanish label Guerssen reissued the album on 180g vinyl, with the original artwork.

It's a pity it was never recorded as a ''real'' album. Nevertheless absolutely recommendable. 
Have fun
              SB1

                                                   Flac part1  &  Flac part2    -  mp3@320   

The Hassles - The Hassles 1967 (1992 EMI)

On the Hassles' self-titled debut, the band displayed a naive enthusiasm and a slightly better-than-average blue-eyed soul, covering several hits and standards like "A Taste of Honey," "Fever," and "You've Got Me Hummin'," as well as Traffic's "Coloured Rain" in standard Rascals style. Most of the album is nothing spectacular, but a pair of Billy Joel's tracks -- "Every Step I Take (Every Move I Make)" and "I Can Tell" -- show a budding songwriting talent, with the material fitting in quite nicely alongside established songs. [In 1992, the album was reissued on CD as part of EMI's "Legends of Rock & Roll" series with a generous eight bonus tracks recorded around the same time. The disc was pulled off the market shortly after its release at the request of Joel, who still seems embarrassed by his juvenilia despite the charm of the album.](allmusic.com)


A nice pop album and i hope you will enjoy

SB1

                                                                      Flac  &  mp3@320 

Late '60s Pop from Sweden: Blond - The Lilac Years 1969 (2003 Universal AB)

Tommy Blom left Swedish band tages in 1968, however the surviving members of the bands line up Danne Larsson rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist, Anders Töpel Lead guitarist and backing vocalist Lasse Svennson Drummer and backing vocalist, together with Tages bassist Göran Lagerberg leading the new project, that came to be known asBLOND named after the Bob Dylan LP Blonde on Blonde together with their old producer they went into full force to try once more to record an album, and they decided to do this over in England. The Lilac years, is an ace grand production, that goes deep trough fields of rock n and pop, blues jazz, and even deeper into folk music, to me one never senses the absence of their former front man Blom, 
Lagerbergs grand melodic genius who now comes into light more than ever before, and while tages was a group of tight direct yet perfect little nuggets, with blond, the band becomes a bit braver, and manages to move out even more of the pop nugget frames and successfully emerges into even bigger arrangements at places, were they either go into more epic lengths around 6 or 7 minutes ( as on the albums title track, the folk rock  arranged retitled Swedish folksong de sålde sina hemman, or the groovy blues jam Caroline complete with hand drums and percussion flowing throughout the track ) and if not they manages to take their shorter songs trough many fantastic levels as well, notable on the fantastic Sailing Cross The Ocean that crosses between swing rock, raga rock and folksy/waltz crossings.

At first glance The Lilac Years might seem stiffer and more forced than Tages late 60s, But really the songs never loose their touch, and a lot of effort was put in the production, that it must have been exhausting, but hard work paid of as BLOND put out a complete and awfully strong effort, thick, but filled with melodic genius, and really stellar musicianship, and a great ambition to hit of grand, and make a grand production, with all ideas given space to flow trough, in magnificent arrangements, this album also features ace arrangements from the London symphony orchestra, that sweeps along on striking songs such as the magnificent “flowers in the morning” also recorded by  British Cilla Black the same year(although under a different title If I thought you’d ever change your mind), and by Swedish Doris, a few years later, a strong beautiful ballad that captures a great melodic sense and that captures one to a great extent, during its three minutes of play time. 
It features some gripping organ work to, and together with Deep inside my heart, they are the two strong ballad numbers that balance a already colourful and strong production, we have top ace rock n roll, on songs such as _six white horses; with mean guitars (some overdubbed by Anders Nord) and HoW can I pray when I don’t believe Pick on a Buss 
swaying Pschycadelic folk lost child reminiscent of Crosby stills and Nash a bit in the arrangement , we have country and western  touches in Sun in her hand featuring banjo plucking and such together, together with a flowing piano, and orchestra and organ, 
And we have a jazz swing rocker in The Girl I Once Had with killing brass thrown in and some really ace boogie rhythm and neat vocal delivery.

Neat upbeat flowing is all over in I Wake up and call and Time is Mine in the end it comes of as a warmly crafted ambitious album, a colourful and truly ace production, that should be considered as a real gem, that really captures the time of the late 60s well, as well as being a strong and very creative effort, and this should to be  considered as one of the top albums of the 60s, and perhaps it should have been, if the group toured more, and the album was spread more widely.

Apparently it did not turn out this way, as some members left the group to go for military service, and other projects came in crossing their path, but before the group dissolved in 1971,  Björn  Linder and Anders Nord came in as substitutes (the two had made some overdubs on the album tracks Caroline and six white horses for the album) Nord wouldn’t stay around for too long,  but Linder was around long enough to feature on the blond single were they’ve backed Örjan Ramberg on  the Balladen Om Killen single release, produced and written by Lagerberg, that captures the moody feel of a restless teenager, looking back in reflective and nostalgic mood which is also featured on the CD. While this line up never got to play live in front of an audience Nords substitute came to be Björn Töpel, Anders Töpels kid brother. Lost Child/How can I play when I don’t believe came as the groups last single, and in between they also managed to perform on Swedish TV , which was recorded in December 69, and broadcasted in December the following year, and these recordings are also included on the CD of course, three CD ROM video tracks of the performances also come as bonus, among them a great reading of the bands hit The Weight 
which is also featured in audio CD format.

This is just a great disc filled with brilliant music, probably unknown to many people, but some real talent not to be missed, It surpasses many 60s sounds during the same time, and is top class efforts trough and trough to me Many of the lyrics were with assistance from Adrian Moar and some occasions someone called   K.J Green unfamiliar writers to me, but they certainly seem to know their stuff, as for producer Anders Hennriksson and Lagerberg, melodic brilliance of the top notch type (as already noted)
If you can find this, 
enjoy(Jan Freidun review at rateyourmusic.com)



There's nothing to add. The record is a really great pop album from beginning to end. If you like pop music from the sixties you will get a real gem with this album.
Viel Spaß
             SB1

                                                                Flac   &   mp3@320

Power Pop From Australia: The Summer Suns - Summer Suns (2008 House Of Wax)

The Summer Suns (1985-1996) were part of the vanguard of the perth pop scene in a truly halcyon era. They played a melodious blend of '70s influenced power pop and '60s folk rock and featured a revolving door line-up of most of perth, western australia's premier pop musicians including dom mariani (Stems, Someloves, DM3), gary chambers (The Stems), pascal bartolone (DM3) and featured the songwriting/vocal talents of mainman kim williams.
A great collection of 22 songs from various releases by the band who are hard to find. The musicians here are all legends of pop music in Australia and surely also to a lot of pop fans all over the world.

Have fun
                Frank

                                                              Flac    &    mp3@320

Sixties Garage Pop: Rock Shop - Mr. Lee's ''Swingin Affair Presents 1968 (2006 Radioactive)

Honestly, I don't know much about the band. Apparently the band came from California and was by a mysterious'' Mr Lee'' in L. A. discovered and managed. You can read the legend about it on the back cover of the album. The album was released in 1968 and became one of the many undiscovered little treasures of the late sixties. A really good garage pop album with tasteful arrangements and sometimes very good pop songwriting. Nothing in the songs is overloaded and it seems that the band has arranged according to the motto'' Less is more''. Recommendable.

Enjoy
         Frank

                                    Flac part1  &  Flac part2  -   mp3@320

After almost 30 years, there's finally a definitive document of one of the first San Francisco psychedelic groups -- or, at least, as definitive a document as surviving tapes allow. This compilation assembles 23 tracks from their demos for the Kama Sutra and Autumn labels, as well as a couple of later sessions recorded at San Francisco area studios. Much of this material has been bootlegged previously, on both vinyl and tape, but here it appears in its best fidelity to date by far.

Those expecting psychedelic fireworks will be surprised. There's some acid-soaked folk-rock here (most notably "We're Not on the Same Trip" and "I Saw Her," the two best cuts), but on the whole, it's much more of a travelog of roots music, with white blues, jug band, folk, country, and music hall influences much more to the fore. Sure, the Charlatans never really got the opportunity to flex their muscles in the studio, but it's also true that they didn't possess either the songwriting or instrumental chops to rival the Jefferson Airplane or Moby Grape.

If you gear your expectations to the appropriate level, there's plenty of good-time mid- to late-'60s Bay Area rock to savor here. Big Beat's meticulous packaging and programming also ensures that an important chapter in psychedelic/San Francisco music has been properly presented for the first time.(allmusic)

The Charlatans were one of the San Francisco bands in the times of Haight Ashbury and the commercial emergence of the hippie movement in the mid-sixties. San Francisco was also the place where the Charlatans found their greatest recognition. Mostly of course at their gigs. They never found the commercial success with their records that made other SF bands famous worldwide. Nevertheless, they recorded a number of great songs.
Big Beat brings together a series of demos in really outstanding quality and presents the band here in an impressive way. Big Beat has also included a first-class booklet.
Have fun and enjoy

                                Frank

                              The Charlatans (US) - The Amazing Charlatans (1996 Big Beat) 

                                         Flac part1  &  Flac part2        -  mp3@320

Many, many psychedelic groups were active in Texas in the late '60s. This compilation devotes one side each to two of them, the Lemon Fog and the Nomads, Houston bands that both recorded for the small Orbit label. No, this stuff isn't going to redefine anyone's idea of garage or psychedelic music, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth paying attention to if you like those styles a lot. Each band takes a lot of its cues from Californian psychedelia and folk-rock, the influence of the Doors being especially prominent on a few cuts; others sound something like a garage Buffalo Springfield. These were two different groups, and though they might take offense at the comment, they don't differ from each other much; the Lemon Fog are somewhat heavier. (allmusic.com)

22 tracks of psychedelic garage rock from Texas 1966 til 1968. A very fine collection!

Enjoy

         Frank

      Various Artists - Three O'Clock Merrian Webster Time Texas Psychedelic Bands 1966-68 

    

                                                           Flac part1  &  Flac part2       -  mp3@320