IAN MATTHEWS - JOURNEYS FROM THE GOSPEL OAK (MOONCREST 1974) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 7 bonus

In 1972, several years after leaving both Fairport Convention and his own group, Matthews Southern Comfort, Iain Matthews was once again struck with a case of musical wanderlust and decided to pack in his solo career and form a new group, Plainsong. At the time, Matthews still owed an album to Vertigo Records, and rather than give them Plainsong's debut, he booked a studio for five days and cut a solo album dominated by covers of songs from American tunesmiths, with only two original songs appearing on the set. By all rights, the album that resulted should have been a tossed-off trifle (especially since Vertigo opted not to release it after all, eventually selling it to the independent Mooncrest label), but Journeys from Gospel Oak turned out to be one of Matthews' most satisfying solo efforts, a lovely fusion of airy country rock and pastoral British folk that captured some of Matthews' most beautiful and heartfelt vocal work. Matthews' two new songs, "Knowing the Game" and "Franklin Avenue," are fine tunes inspired by his experiences in the music business, but the covers he chose for the set are inspired; he manages to bring something fresh and affecting to well-worn numbers like "Do Right Woman" and "Sing Me Back Home," and lesser known compositions like "Bride 1945" and "Things You Gave Me" prove his interpretive instincts were to be reckoned with. The compact band Matthews put together for the sessions is superb: Jerry Donahue's lead guitar is subtle but gently reinforces the country accents of the melodies, and bassist Pat Donaldson and drummer Timi Donald (who played on many of Richard Thompson's early solo sessions) give the tracks a rock-solid foundation. Journeys from Gospel Oak is a simple album, but there's something deeply satisfying in its elegance, and it captures a soulful and touching spirit that's found in Iain Matthews' best music.[allmusic]
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PENTANGLE - BASKET OF LIGHT (TRANSATLANTIC 1969) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 4 bonus

One of the most significant bands of the late 1960's Pentangle along with Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention defined the whole of the folk rock movement and helped to influence a whole generation of musicians and guitarists. Bert Jansch, John Renbourne and Danny Thompson had few equals and Jaquie McShee's achingly pure vocals were the perfect counterpoint to their sensational ensemble playing. "Basket of Light" was by far their most commercially successful release and still sounds as fresh and bold as it did four decades ago.
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Although Sweet Child is usually cited as the group's high-water mark, Basket of Light finds them at their most progressive and exciting. Highlights of this album -- which actually reached the Top Five in the U.K. -- include the buzzing jazz dynamics of "Light Flight," their moving rendition of the traditional folk song "Once I Had a Sweetheart," their reinvention of the girl group smash "Sally Go Round the Roses," and "Springtime Promises," one of their finest original tunes...
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KENNY RANKIN - MIND-DUSTERS (MERCURY 1967) JVC K2 mastering cardboard sleeve

A pop and standards singer during his long career, Kenny Rankin debuted in 1967 with his first album, Mind Dusters, which featured the soft rock hit "Peaceful." Over the course of the early '70s, Rankin slowly built up a following with a steady stream of records and performances that balanced originals, new songs, and standards. As the decade drew to a close, he began to return to his singer/songwriter roots, particularly on After the Roses, his 1980 debut for Atlantic Records. He continued to perform during the '80s, but he only recorded sporadically. In 1991, he recorded a pair of albums, Hiding in Myself and Because of You, for two separate labels. Three years later, he signed with Private Music and released Professional Dreamer, an album that found him concentrating on standards.
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An ideal representation of the acoustic and ethereal side of the early, winsome singer/songwriter sound, this promising debut only hints at Rankin's traditional pop and world music vision. The Tin Pan Alley and ethnic roots of the music he grew up with in New York City are obscured by his alignment with the sounds of some of the artists he covers on the record, including Bob Dylan ("Mr. Tambourine Man"), Gordon Lightfoot ("Song for a Winter's Night"), and, most successfully, Fred Neil ("Dolphin"). "Cotton Candy Sandman" perfectly captures the gauzy, warm glow of mellow love that permeated the musical mood of 1967. The highlight of the album is Rankin's own composition, the inviting "Peaceful," which foreshadows his later work. While the long-out-of-print album only shows glimpses of his full abilities, it has a quaint, antiquated '60s charm and even includes liner notes from none other than Johnny Carson.[allmusic]
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BERT JANSCH - NICOLA (TRANSATLANTIC 1967) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 2 bonus

Jansch's third solo album is perhaps too lightly dismissed by both folk critics and the artist himself. Bowing slightly to commercial pressures, he allowed orchestration to be used on five of the 12 tracks. Actually, the orchestrated cuts aren't that bad at all, and the remainder are pretty much keeping with the character and high standard of his other '60s work. Nine of the 12 cuts are Jansch originals, and ably display his nimble guitar work, incorporation of blues, traditional British Isles folk influences into a contemporary style, and his Donovan-esque vocals. For the first and only time, he played both electric and acoustic guitars on this LP; it's also his first work to feature drumming. Some of the orchestrated numbers, especially "Woe Is Love, My Dear," were actually deemed to have potential as singles. That didn't happen (the cut "Wish My Baby Was Here" would have been a better choice in any event), but that doesn't take away from their fey period charm.
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An orchestrated version of 'Train Song' was attempted during the Nicola sessions but, while fondly remembered by arranger David Palmer, did not make the finished product. Neither did two further outtakes 'In This Game' and 'Dissatisfied Blues' (both of which he performed live during the city hall tour of early 1967) although they later appeared on Box Of Love - The Bert Jansch Sampler Vol. 2 (1972), issued on Transatlantic shortly after Bert had left the label. They have also been resurrected on the new reissue of Nicola...
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PENTAGLE - SOLOMON'S SEAL (REPRISE 1972) Jap DSD mastering cardboard sleeve

It was the last album recorded by the original Pentangle line-up, before the band split in 1973. Jacqui McShee has stated that it is her favourite Pentangle album. The album title refers to the Seal of Solomon — a mythical signet ring with magical powers, sometimes associated with the pentagram symbol adopted by Pentangle.
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Solomon's Seal was recorded at Sound Techniques studio, London, between February and March 1972. Pentangle's contract with Transatlantic had expired and, amid a dispute with Transatlantic over royalties, the band had switched allegiance to Warner/Reprise, who had been their U.S. distributor. The album was released in September 1972, to coincide with the start of new tour. However, by the start of 1973, the band had split and sales of the album were disappointing, leaving the band members still paying off their debts, against the album's advance royalties, into the early 1980s.
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The album opens with their version of Cyril Tawney's song of a sailor's lost love: "Sally Free and Easy". Unlike its usual rendition as a sea shanty, Pentangle treat this to a slow bluesy rhythm. The remainder of the album is divided between traditional songs and the band's own compositions.
It includes some thoughtful arrangements (the use of sitar and recorders in "The Snows", for example) and displays production values of ensuring that every instrument is audible but balanced in the whole sound. However, it lacks some of the riskier features of early Pentangle albums: there are no improvised jazz duets between the two guitarists and no double bass solos, for example. As such, it could be praised for being a very "polished" sound or criticised for lacking the exciting creative edge of earlier Pentangle work. Colin Harper wrote "Solomon's Seal is a record of people's weariness, but also the product of a unit whose members were still among the best players, writers and musical interpreters of their day."
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MARC ELLINGTON - MARC ELLINGTON (PHILIPS 1969) Jap/Kor mastering cardboard sleeve

Marc Ellington's debut album on Philips in 1969.
A Scottish folksinger and multi-instrumentalist who has guested with Fairport Convention on the latter group's recordings, starting with providing some vocal support on the Unhalfbricking album in 1969. Additionally, he worked with Matthews Southern Comfort on their self-titled 1969 LP, playing percussion, and recorded his debut album that same year, which featured his singing, guitar work, and bagpipes. The latter album, recorded on the Ampex label, also included contributions from Fairport alumni Simon Nicol and Richard Thompson. Ellington subsequently contributed to several of Thompson's recordings, and sang on Linda Thompson's 1996 Dreams Fly Away. He has appeared at the Cropedy Festival organized around Fairport, and as of 2007 was the Deputy Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire and a member of the Heritage Lottery Fund Committee for Scotland. ~ Bruce Eder
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LEVITT & MCCLURE - LIVING IN THE COUNTRY (WARNER BROS 1969) Jap/Kor mastering cardboard sleeve

Dan Levitt (a later guitarist of The Beau Brummels) and Marc McClure (of Joyous Noise) worked hand in glove and released this distinguished folk & country rock album in 1969.
Produced by Ron Elliott who also contributed a couple of songs to the album...
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JACKSON HEIGHTS - THE 5th AVENUE BUS (VERTIGO 1972) Jap DSD mastering cardboard sleeve

The second album by Jackson Heights wasn't as nondescript as many similarly obscure efforts from bands led by musicians -- in this case, ex-Nice guitarist/bassist/singer Lee Jackson -- who pretty much vanished from the limelight after their stint with a famous group. Jackson also deserved some credit for being bold enough to move into directions in which the Nice weren't associated; 5th Avenue Bus is much more oriented toward singer/songwriter-type, folk-rock songs than the Nice ever were, with little of the art rock that the Nice helped pioneer in sight. Nonetheless, the record and its songs were kind of nondescript, as mildly pleasing as some of the singing and melodies were. Often the songs used vocal harmonies with a Crosby, Stills & Nash/America flavor, though here sometimes used with mainstream early-'70s British rock arrangements, a combination that wasn't all that arresting. Other cuts like "Luxford" had a more suitable acoustic soft rock sound, though the songs themselves weren't knockouts. Ex-King Crimson drummer Michael Giles played on the record, though he didn't stretch his prog rock chops here too often, and there are only flashes here and there -- perhaps in "Sweet Hill Tunnel," and the tensely wistful parts of "Pastor Roger" -- of the somber grandeur to which the Nice had once aspired.[Richie Unterberger]
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JUST OTHERS - AMALGAM (PRIVATE PRESSING 1974) Kor mastering cardboard sleeve

Amalgam was recorded, making the utmost of the most basic equipment in the spring and summer of 1974. Just 250 copies were pressed, and the record was sold only at gigs. What kind of album did Just Others make? For sure, there are songs on Amalgam that manage to convey a variety of human feelings. And there is an all-pervading feeling, part optimism, part melancholy, that makes this a uniquely interesting addition to any serious collection of acoustic music of the period. The cross-fertilization between their separate enthusiasms and previous musical experience goes a long way toward explaining the uniquely distinctive blend to be heard on Amalgam. Highly recommended for fans of British folk rock including Tir Na Nog and John Renbourn.
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This is a rare UK private press folk LP from 1974, only 250 made, and the record was sold only at gigs. Just Others was an English band, consisting of Geoff Twigg and Brian Rodgers. Their music is a nice blend of pop and folk with incredible lyrics, amazing voices and fine guitar work.
A REALLY GREAT ALBUM!!!
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MONTE DUNN & KAREN CRUZ - MONTE DUNN & KAREN CRUZ (CYCLONE 1969)

Though this rare LP isn't notable, it's a nice enough slice of period folk-rock with some country influence; the material on the cusp between the folk-rock and singer/songwriter era. Some cuts, like "Never in My Life," have an understated pop-folk-rock touch with an appealing sense of longing, somewhat haunting melodies, and harmonic blends putting Cruz's clear, high voice against Dunn's slightly contrasting, earthier tones. Cruz scats along in a medieval manner like an American Jacqui McShee at points in "Order to Things." In a different mood, songs like "You Don't Smile Much" burble along with a country hoedown swing, complete with fiddle; "Loving You" has an almost bossa nova sway; "Yellow Cab" has a mid-'60s bluesy New York folk-rock feel, as if it dates from somewhat earlier than the rest of the album; and "So Much Loving" comes closest to a folk-rock-rooted California country-rock sound. The highlight is "Tip of My Mind," in which the harmonies really attain a rich, melancholy pungency. As such folk-rock collectibles go, it's certainly more musically diverse than most, and thus slightly above average within its niche.[allmusic]
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ALAN HULL - PIPEDREAM (CHARISMA 1973) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

Best known as the co-founder, leader, and principal songwriter of the Newcastle folk-based rock band Lindisfarne, Alan Hull also pursued a successful career as a solo performer, specializing in original songs. At one time, amid Lindisfarne's early successes, Hull was being hailed as the most innovative songwriter since Bob Dylan, and although Lindisfarne's subsequent albums didn't remotely achieve this level of promise, his solo material was consistently strong. Hailing from Newcastle, where he was born in 1945, Hull took up the guitar as a boy, and became a member of the band the Chosen Few alongside keyboard player (and future Ian Dury alumnus) Mickey Gallagher, in 1962. That band, which specialized in Tamla-Motown covers, was signed to Pye Records for a time and Hull first emerged as a songwriter of considerable promise within their ranks, generating some very strong original numbers including the single "Today Tonight and Tomorrow." Hull exited the group in 1966 and gravitated toward a more folk-oriented sound in his playing, singing, and songwriting, which brought him into a band called Downtown Faction, who eventually evolved into Lindisfarne; he supported himself one year by working as a nurse at a mental hospital, before Lindisfarne came together. As author of many of their most popular songs as well as one of their principal singers, Hull came to be regarded as the de facto leader of the group, which may have contributed to its splintering in 1973. He recorded solo albums periodically beginning with 1973's Pipedream on the Charisma label, which included the services of second-generation Lindisfarne guitarist/keyboardman Ken Craddock as well as original members Ray Jackson and Ray Laidlaw...
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IAN MATTHEWS - IF YOU SAW THRO' MY EYES (VERTIGO 1971) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

In late 1970, shortly after his band Matthews Southern Comfort hit number one in Great Britain with its version of Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock," Ian Matthews decided that he needed more creative freedom and left for a solo career. The subsequent album, If You Saw Thro' My Eyes, his fourth and best release since leaving Fairport Convention in 1969, was recorded and released within the next few months. It also reunited him with former Fairport bandmates Sandy Denny, who had left the band in late 1969, and Richard Thompson, who would depart by the time of this album's release. Both would bring their distinctive personalities to the proceedings without ever overwhelming Matthews' own vision. As a bandleader and songwriter, Matthews' growth is quite evident here, guiding a stellar cast through seven excellent new originals and three well-chosen covers (also included is the a cappella "Hinge" and its instrumental reprise). Throughout, Matthews' sweet yet evocative tenor is perfect for the material, which succeeds in its blend of British and American folk, rock, and pop. Furthermore, he once again shows a keen eye for the work of others, while also proving his prowess as a first-rate interpretive singer. A pair of songs written by the late folksinger Richard Farina -- "Reno, Nevada" (resurrected from Ian's days with Fairport) and "Morgan the Pirate" -- are given fresh, inspired readings, highlighted by Thompson, Tim Renwick, and Andy Roberts' superb guitar interplay, providing a real folk-rock edge. But it's the beautiful, prayerlike title track that is the record's crowning moment. Joined simply by Denny's piano and breathtaking second vocal, along with a tasteful backwards guitar interlude by Renwick, Matthews' quiet plea for guidance is as moving and personal a song as he's ever recorded. A number of other highlights, such as "Hearts," "Southern Wind," "It Came Without Warning," and "You Couldn't Lose," make If You Saw Thro' My Eyes one of the best efforts by a Fairport alumnus...
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GARY OGAN & BILL LAMB - PORTLAND (ELEKTRA 1972) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve

Most people don't recognize the name Gary Ogan although he's shared the stage with many superstars. He's a mainstay of the Portland music scene. Inspired by the Beatles, he developed his talents early with his high-school basement band. Just after graduation he recorded for his first major record label. But despite his association with the likes of Leon Russell and Michael McDonald, he's spurned the short cut to fame, choosing instead to stay true to his music.
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As a veteran of 35 years in the music business, and CEO / manager of the new Portland, Oregon based music conglomerate, Sound Ground, Gary maintains a youthful enthusiasm in his quest for new music and fresh projects. From his first major label release on Elektra Records in 1972, called Portland, Gary has created an ever-evolving world of activity. Moving to Los Angeles in 1977 to sign with Leon Russell’s Paradise Records on the Warner Brothers label, Gary released his first self-titled album that year, co-produced with Russell. He also co-produced Leon and Mary Russell’s duet album, Make Love to the Music, and toured the U.S. extensively with them, including shows at Radio City Music Hall and the Universal Amphitheater.
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A close cousin to the first album by Aztec Two-Step from 1972, this is one of those classic records that has continued to escape almost everyone. As a fan of this album from day one I can tell you that it deserved to remain in my list of favorite albums even though the original mastering was not quite on par with so many of my other cherished records from that era...[net]
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FOTHERINGAY - FOTHERINGAY (ISLAND 1970) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 7 bonus

The folk rock group Fotheringay was formed in 1970 by singer Sandy Denny upon her departure from Fairport Convention. The band drew its name from Fotheringhay Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in England. Said castle was also the inspiration for the song "Fotheringay", which Fairport Convention had included on their 1969 album What We Did on Our Holidays, before Denny's departure from the group.
Two former members of Eclection, Trevor Lucas and Gerry Conway, and two former members of Poet and the One Man Band, Jerry Donahue and Pat Donaldson (bass), completed the line-up responsible for what was long assumed to be the quintet's only album. This folk-based set included several Denny originals, notably "Nothing More", "The Sea" and "The Pond and The Stream", as well as meticulous readings of Gordon Lightfoot's "The Way I Feel" and Bob Dylan's "Too Much of Nothing". Although criticized contemporaneously as constrained, Fotheringay is now viewed as a confident, accomplished work. During the year of its original release, however, the album failed to match commercial expectations, and pressures on Denny to undertake a solo career—she was voted Britain's number 1 singer (two years consecutively) in Melody Maker's readers poll—increased.
Fotheringay disbanded in 1971 during sessions for a projected second album. Some of its songs surfaced on Denny's 1971 debut album, The North Star Grassman and the Ravens. Lucas, Conway and Donahue resurfaced in Fairport Convention in 1972 to record the Rosie album (on which some Fotheringay material was also used). However, Conway played on three tracks only and began session work afterwards. Both Conway and Donaldson have worked with Richard Thompson, among many others. Lucas and Donahue stayed with Fairport (the Nine album came out in 1973) for another couple of years, with Sandy Denny rejoining in 1974...
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IAN MATTHEWS - MATTHEWS' SOUTHERN COMFORT (UNI 1970) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 1 bonus

Matthews grew up in a working-class family in Scunthorpe. He sang with several minor bands during the British pop music explosion of the mid-1960s. He moved to London in 1966, taking a job in a Carnaby Street shoe shop. That year, he formed a trio, The Pyramid, which recorded one single, "Summer Of Last Year/Summer Evening," in January 1967 released as Deram 111. A remaining song, "Me About You," surfaced on Iain's Orphans & Outcasts Volume 3 cd in 1999. The Pyramid may be England's only surf band, albeit a short-lived one.
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Not long afterwards, he was recruited by Ashley Hutchings as a male vocalist for Fairport Convention, where he duetted first with Judy Dyble, but more famously with Sandy Denny. In 1969, as Fairport's music veered much more toward British traditional influences, Matthews found out he had not been invited to a recording session and, after a short discussion with Ashley Hutchings, he headed off in his own musical direction.
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With Thompson, Nicol, and Hutchings from Fairport Convention, plus drummer Gerry Conway (of Fotheringay, and later to join Fairport) and pedal steel player Gordon Huntley, he recorded his first solo album, Matthews' Southern Comfort, whose sound was rooted in American country music and rockabilly; this was his first significant experience as a songwriter, although the band also covered the likes of Neil Young and Ian and Sylvia. He then formed a working band using the name of his first album and recorded Second Spring and Later That Same Year. The band went through several different lineups and toured extensively for the next two years, to general critical acclaim. They had one commercial success: a cover version of "Woodstock" (written by Joni Mitchell) was a number one hit single in the UK and saw heavy airplay in Canada reaching #5, as well as reaching #23 in the US. After this, Matthews split with Southern Comfort, who went on to release three albums of their own on Harvest Records....[wiki]
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THE GOLDEBRIARS (EPIC 1964) Japan mastering cardboard sleeve + 2 bonus

The Goldebriars were an early 60s folk quartet which is most notable for including a young Curt Boettcher as a guitarist and vocalist. The group also included two sisters, Dotti and Sheri Holmberg, and Ron Neilson, lead guitarist and banjo player. They recorded two very obscure albums for Epic Records in 1964 before adding drummer Ron Edgar to their lineup, who would later be a part of the groups The Music Machine and The Millennium. They recorded a third album in late 1964, in what has been described as a prototypical folk-rock vein. A single from this proposed album, June Bride Baby b/w I'm Gonna Marry You was released in early 1965, but the group broke up afterwards and the album remains unreleased.
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Curt Boettcher would go on a successful stint as a producer, songwriter and musician, eventually putting together the highly-regarded late-60s group The Millennium (which also featured Ron Edgar). Nothing has been heard from the others, except for Dotti Holmberg, when Sundazed Records surprisingly released an album of demos that she recorded in the mid-60s called Sometimes Happy Times, including one demo that had ended up on the Magic Time anthology and a demo of a song (I Sing My Song) that would later be included on the second Sagittarius album...
......A Unique Early Folk-(Rock?) Group!!!!......
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CHAD & JEREMY - DISTANT SHORES #### (COLUMBIA 1966) Japan cardboard sleeve +bonus

This is Chad & Jeremy's 1966 LP DISTANT SHORES, and the 11 beautiful tracks from that album would have made a superb CD on their own. But Columbia dug deep into the vaults, dragging out unreleased gems from the duo's late '65 London sessions as well as oddities like Jeremy's delightfully twisted "Teenage Failure," a flop single for the mop-topped pair. In all, 24 tracks, mostly sunshiney harmony pop& folkrock all worth hearing. An even better C&J collection than any of their "greatest hits" compilations...
The best tracks - Distant Shores, Last Night, You Are She, When Your Love Has Gone, Morning - recall the softer, early Association, early S&G and even the Turtles, all tinged with a certain cream tea and croquet Englishness. The traditional cockney song Sixpence is performed with cutesy added Englishness and feels like a great moment of Lionel Bart. Everyone’s Gone To The Moon emulates the original as does Early Morning Rain. Nice...Here