Black Sabbath - Chicago 2/11/74
Usually Black Sabbath shows sound just good enough to remind you how great a live band they were. This show is definitely one of those teases. When I think of Sabbath live, especially since the band started reunions and the like I think of lots of covers from the first two albums with a smattering of other songs. In 1974, the band is mostly canted towards the later Ozzy albums which is quite refreshing. But all that pesky murkiness does is make you yearn for a better copy.
Guru Guru - Dance of the Flames
The CD reissue of this mid-70s Guru Guru release seems to have generated some turnabouts in opinion and I have to admit that I’m marching right along with that group. Really, this album is as much about ex-Eiliff guitarist Houschang Nejadepour as it is about Mani Neumeier himself. Perhaps hearing the releases of the live Guru Guru and Eilff archives might have accentuated the point, but Nejadepour is an outstanding player, one of the best to play in Germany during the 70s and he shreds all over this like Sonny Sharrock on No-Doz. Guru Guru seem to leap from style to style, ever since the early days and this has to be their definitive 70s fusion album. It was certainly their best since Kan-Guru when they were basically a totally different group. And it wouldn’t make too bad of an introduction for those who might find most of their albums too silly or dosed.