Here’s another batch of CD-R’s. Most of these are ones I used to own and were recorded by a friend for posterity.
Amos Key – First Key. 11=11. This was a recent re-grade, one that I bumped up like from a 7 or something very low like that. Not sure why this turned me off initially some 15+ years ago. High energy classically based organ prog trio like Trace and ELP. If that sounds good, this is easy to recommend. If not, avoid. Pretty simple really. No legit reissue – I think it’s just been booted for a second time recently. I need to pursue the original LP in the interim.
Burning Candle – s/t. 9=9. This was another recent re-grade. I was probably around a 6 or 7 prior. But a listen a couple of months ago softened my perspective. There was a huge pile of late 70s / early 80s private German albums that suddenly showed up on the scene around 1990 or so. Some were good, some atrocious. Burning Candle fits in the middle. Keyboard trio – that goes nicely with the Amos Key on this CD-R. More diverse, with more styles and, uh, 1981 period synthesizers. Some meaty organ too. Really not bad at all. Sort of nutty unpredictable like El Shalom and Saffran, but not quite that good.
This Oneness – Surprize. 11=11. Only heard this for the first time a couple of months ago. Really nice US obscurity from 1975. Strong Mahavishnu influence with Canterbury touches. The song portions are of the Midwest prog variety ala Ethos, Albatross. The gospel-ish vocals can be almost too much to take, but fortunately they abandon those after the first track. Love those echoing flutes! Surprised this one hasn’t caught more attention from the collector community.
Gerardo Manuel & El Humo – Machu Picchu 2000. 7+8. Now this is one that actually got bumped down a notch a couple of months ago. Has a promising lounge horn rock start. Actually Side 1 is pretty good throughout. Side 2 is atrocious. Interesting to note what a freaky scene Peru had in the late 60s and early 70s before the waves of communists and other nutjob dictators came rolling through. Now that has subsided and Peru has a whole new wave of freaky groups. Haven’t checked those out yet….