Rock & Indie 229 Items

In the spring of 1969, 49th Parallel had a hit in with ‘Twilight Woman’, a lovely song that sounds like a poppier version of what bands like Tomorrow were doing in England. That success led to the release of 49th Parallel’s only album. All hyperbole aside, it is easily one of the top Canadian rock albums of the psychedelic era. The album is strong throughout—from the pulsating psychedelia of ‘Lazerander Filchy’ and the ultra-strange ‘(The) Magician’, the shimmering beauty of 'Twilight Woman', to the quintessential slashing guitars punk edginess of ‘Now That I'm a Man’ and ‘(Come On Little Child &) Talk To Me’. Dan Lowe's blazing fuzz guitar work stands out on ‘Missouri’ and also when matched by organist Jack Velker's brilliant work on ‘Eye To Eye’, ‘Talk To Me’ and ‘(The) People’.

Hailing from Florida, After All was formed by well-experienced musicians with an R&B, jazz and blues background who hooked up with poetry writer Linda Hargrove to record an ambitious album influenced by acid-rock and psychedelic, early progressive sounds. Originally released in 1969 on the Athena label, the album is now considered an obscure classic. Top level psych/prog dominated by Hammond organ / guitar plus explosive drumming. Here’s a welcome new reissue in original artwork plus remastered sound, insert with liner notes.

First ever reissue of this bona fide “buried treasure” produced by Richard Perry and featuring Ry Cooder and the Wrecking Crew. Includes 4 page insert with notes by music historian Stephen J McParland and Vini Poncia, and many rare pictures and ephemera. Like the other more familiar and phenomenally successful duos Goffin/King, Barry/Greenwich or Mann/Weil, Peter Anders and Vini Poncia also graduated from the Brill Building era school of songwriting. Friends since high school, Anders and Poncia debuted as members of the Providence, Rhode Island vocal group The Videls whose second single Mister Lonely (written by Anders-Poncia) proved to be a moderate national hit (#73 on Cash Box and Billboard) in early 1960. It would be five more years before the duo’s pièce de résistance, The Trade Winds’ New York’s A Lonely Town, would appear on the legendary Red Bird label (started by George Goldner and songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in 1964). An East Coast (though California molded) surf music anthem, New York’s A Lonely Town had impressed both Phil Spector (with whom Anders and Poncia had enjoyed a brief working association, writing songs for The Ronettes, The Crystals or Darlene Love) and Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson. They also worked on an Elvis Presley film score – “Harum Scarum”. After releasing albums as The Trade Winds and The Innocence, as well writing and releasing a bunch of songs under various guises for Kama Sutra and Buddah Records, Anders & Poncia signed to Warner Bros in 1969. Produced by Richard Perry (Captain Beefheart, Fats Domino, Tiny Tim…), and featuring the Los Angeles A-Team of sessioneers (later known as “The Wrecking Crew”), their only album features ten original compositions and a version of Leiber & Stoller’s “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” (with some great bottleneck guitar by Ry Cooder). Reissued here for the first time these eleven brilliant and extraordinarily powerful tracks are ripe for rediscovery. As the liner notes state: “listen to Anders & Poncia … and you have found your poets.”

One of the key albums when talking about psychedelic hard-rock and early proto-metal, originally released in 1969. Featuring the great John Du Cann (The Attack, Atomic Rooster, Hard Stuff…) on guitar plus Mick Hawksworth (Fuzzy Duck, Alvin Lee) on heavy bass plus the powerful drumming of Ian McLane (Neat Change, Ray Owen’s Moon).

Andromeda was formed during the final days of Du Cann’s previous band The Attack, when he decided to go in a full heavier & proggier musical direction. Recruiting his friend/room mate Mick Hawksworth on bass plus drummer Jack McCulloch (of One In A Million, soon to be replaced by Ian McLane), the power-trio was born. After initial interest from John Peel (Dandelion) and Kit Lambert (Track Records), Du Cann decided to go with a major label, RCA, who offered him the chance to self-produce their first album. Recorded at Advision Studios, the impressive Andromeda debut was released in 1969, housed in a sleeve designed by John with photos by Gered Mankowitz. But despite receiving excellent reviews and the band playing lots of gigs (some of them billed above bands like Black Sabbath), RCA didn’t know what to do with such a heavy rock band. Tired of the lack of promotion and support, John accepted an offer to join Atomic Rooster… but that’s another story.

Touted as the “new Doors,” Ars Nova’s second release shows the band genre-bending jazz and heavy psychedelia in a style that’s their own. Shifting from a largely classical centric sound, this was the group’s last album before going their separate ways. Pressed on pink vinyl!

Sunshine & Shadows takes the baroque-meets-psych sound of the debut and turns a bit more to the psych side. The stately brass interludes are gone, but horns still figure prominently in the mix. There’s some jazzy New Orleans flavor to a couple of the tunes, albeit twisted into a 7/4 vamp on “You Had Better Listen.”

The instrumentalists in the band, featuring trumpet and trombone, really give the music a unique flavor, setting them apart from the multitudes of other American psych bands. Ars Nova might be likened to Ultimate Spinach (but without the overly serious, pretentious lyrics) or later Zombies (though with less emphasis on the keyboards).

It’s all very well written and nicely played, and when they do a tender ballad like “Temporary Serenade,” the acoustic guitar is very lute-like, much more along the lines of classical than folk (like the later work of Jan Akkerman with Focus), and the trumpet descant adds a lovely spice.

“Well, Well, Well” is the heaviest rock tune in their repertoire, with a great electric guitar riff and hot organ playing, again set apart by trombone and trumpet. This one is definitely worth seeking out for baroque pop fans.

Touted as the “new Doors,” Ars Nova’s second release shows the band genre-bending jazz and heavy psychedelia in a style that’s their own. Shifting from a largely classical centric sound, this was the group’s last album before going their separate ways. Pressed on pink vinyl!

Sunshine & Shadows takes the baroque-meets-psych sound of the debut and turns a bit more to the psych side. The stately brass interludes are gone, but horns still figure prominently in the mix. There’s some jazzy New Orleans flavor to a couple of the tunes, albeit twisted into a 7/4 vamp on “You Had Better Listen.”

The instrumentalists in the band, featuring trumpet and trombone, really give the music a unique flavor, setting them apart from the multitudes of other American psych bands. Ars Nova might be likened to Ultimate Spinach (but without the overly serious, pretentious lyrics) or later Zombies (though with less emphasis on the keyboards).

It’s all very well written and nicely played, and when they do a tender ballad like “Temporary Serenade,” the acoustic guitar is very lute-like, much more along the lines of classical than folk (like the later work of Jan Akkerman with Focus), and the trumpet descant adds a lovely spice.

“Well, Well, Well” is the heaviest rock tune in their repertoire, with a great electric guitar riff and hot organ playing, again set apart by trombone and trumpet. This one is definitely worth seeking out for baroque pop fans.

Leeds-born folk-rocker John Trevor Midgely, alias Beau, was known for his deft twelve-string guitar work, his poignant voice and distinctive song-writing, which brought him onto the roster of John Peel’s Dandelion label in 1969. His self-titled debut album is arguably his best and includes the outstanding single ‘1917 Revolution,’ said to have inspired America’s smash, ‘Horse With No Name,’ the LP ably demonstrating that all the artist needed was his voice, his guitar, and his individual approach to song writing, the work bearing his haunting hallmarks throughout. In short, an unjustly obscure release that is ripe for current reappraisal. Including 2 Bonus Tracks

limited edition analogue 180 gram vinyl reisue ... sampled by Run DMC, Public Enemy, ODB, ...

180 gram pressing!

180 gram pressing!

180 gram pressing!

1969 album from the Morgan Blue Town stable, a classic psychedelic prog album. Album features Mike Bobak, Andy Jons & Wil Malone. Now on Limited Edition 180 gram Pearl Colored Vinyl.

- Limi...

RSD First, Limitation: 1250

Remastered from the original tapes, 180g vinyl!

Why you'll love it...
After recording demos with Sam Phillips that he considered "too jazzy" Charlie Rich was given a stack of Jerry Lee Lewis records to study and "come back when [he got] that bad". The single "Lonely Weekends" hit Top 30 and earned a gold record for selling one million copies. The album features classics such as "C.C. Rider," "You're Gonna Be Waiting" and "Apple Blossom Time."

Limited to 1000 copies, the VMP exclusive edition of Charlie Rich's Lonely Weekends is pressed on Sky Blue vinyl at Softwax Record Pressing. The AAA 1LP will arrive in a single, direct-to-board jacket.

Vinyl LP repressing of this 1969 album. WILLY & THE POOR BOYS, the fourth album by one of the world's all-time greatest rock bands, Creedence Clearwater Revival, remains a top-selling album in the CCR catalog with over 2 million copies sold to date. Reaching the top 50 in six countries upon it's release, the album stands as a landmark international success and one that cemented the band's legacy as a vanguard of American rock 'n' roll. Contains the ubiquitous chart-topping hit, 'Down On The Corner,' which rocketed into the top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and continues to be a mainstay on classic rock radio today. Additionally, the visceral 'Fortunate Son' is included here - an incendiary protest song that became inextricably linked to the Vietnam war, resulting in it's addition to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2014 for being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'.

ULTIMATE-SOUNDING VERSION OF THE HARMONY-RICH LANDMARK: DELUXE AUDIOPHILE PRESSING LIMITED AND NUMBERED COPIES
1/4" / 15 IPS analogue master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe


The enduring charm, contemporary relevance, and harmonic convergence of Crosby, Stills & Nash's fabled self-titled debut owe not only to impeccably played songs and resonant lyrics, but to career-defining performances by music's first genuine supergroup. Crosby, Stills & Nash lingers as an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Factor in phenomenal studio production and acoustic-based architecture that served as guideposts for myriad albums that followed, and popular music would never be the same.

Limited and numbered, pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at RTI, and mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP collector's edition enhances the incalculably influential work for the ages to come. Surpassing the sonics of any prior version, it peels away any limitations to provide a transparent, ultra-nuanced presentation of a record that birthed the Laurel Canyon movement and established a precedent for close harmony singing that has never been eclipsed. The organic presentation of the textures; expanse and depth of the soundstages; fullness of tones; natural extension of the acoustic guitar strings; realistic rise and decay of individual notes; seamless blending of the vocals – all those important sonic facets (and more) reach demonstration-grade levels.

The packaging features the same attention to detail. Housed in a deluxe box, the Crosby, Stills & Nash UD1S pressing features special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendour of the recording and the reissue's premium quality. Aurally and visually, MoFi's UD1S copy exists as a curatorial artifact meant to be preserved, touched, and examined. It is made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in the art – and everything involved with the album, from the images to the finishes.

The backstory of how Crosby, Stills & Nash came to be nearly matches the import of its content. Already a renowned multi-instrumental virtuoso, Stephen Stills sought a fresh beginning after Buffalo Springfield splintered. Similarly, vocal powerhouse David Crosby arrived after leaving the Byrds and gaining a reputation for being difficult. Graham Nash drifted over after a frustrating stint in the Hollies. He met his new mates at a party. When the three sang together informally for the first time, their fate was sealed. To further tie their fortunes together, the singers used each of their surnames to identify the group to ensure the collective could not exist or continue on without all three members.

From the opening of the lead track, the multi-part "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," written for Judy Collins, it's apparent the trio's dynamic cannot be replicated or substituted. Originally released in May 1969 on Atlantic, the eponymous debut cracked the Billboard Top 10 and spent almost two years on the charts. Such longevity can be credited to the distinctive traits each member lends to a record Rolling Stone cites as the 252nd Greatest Album of All Time. Stills trades in folk, country, and rock accents while handing a majority of the instrumental duties (organ, bass, and lead guitar included). Crosby paints with mood and atmosphere, as well as direct political commentary. Nash ties everything together with accessible pop melodies.

More than five decades later, the ensemble's mellifluous singing and homespun arrangements continue to soar. The evidence pervades Crosby, Stills & Nash, whose magnetism reflects in standards such as the breezy "Marrakesh Express," protesting "Long Time Gone," poignant "Helplessly Hoping," and poetic "Wooden Ships." No wonder the trio's chemistry – as well as the distinctive traits of each member's singing, interwoven guitar parts, and contrasting personalities – became a permanent part of an American culture dealing with conflicting themes of peace and war, love and violence, and change and status quo.

More About Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step and Why It Is Superior
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) technique bypasses generational losses inherent to the traditional three-step plating process by removing two steps: the production of father and mother plates, which are created to yield numerous stampers from each lacquer that is cut. For UD1S plating, stampers (also called "converts") are made directly from the lacquers. Since each lacquer yields only one stamper, multiple lacquers need to be cut. Mobile Fidelity's UD1S process produces a final LP with the lowest-possible noise floor. The removal of two steps of the plating process also reveals musical details and dynamics that would otherwise be lost due to the standard multi-step process. With UD1S, every aspect of vinyl production is optimized to produce the best-sounding vinyl album available today.

MoFi SuperVinyl
Developed by NEOTECH and RTI, MoFi SuperVinyl is the most exacting-to-specification vinyl compound ever devised. Analog lovers have never seen (or heard) anything like it. Extraordinarily expensive and extremely painstaking to produce, the special proprietary compound addresses two specific areas of improvement: noise floor reduction and enhanced groove definition. The vinyl composition features a new carbonless dye (hold the disc up to the light and see) and produces the world's quietest surfaces. This high-definition formula also allows for the creation of cleaner grooves that are indistinguishable from the original lacquer. MoFi SuperVinyl provides the closest approximation of what the label's engineers hear in the mastering lab.

This EP contains their second & third singles. Both were originally released in 1965 by Parlophone. Produced by Joe Meek.

Surfers’ Choice is a true landmark of surf rock, being the album that established the genre more than any other release. First issued in 1962 and mostly recorded at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa Beach, midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, it has rollicking surf anthems like ‘Surf Beat,’ ‘Shake ‘N Stomp,’ ‘Surfing Drums’ and ‘Take It Off,’ as well as Dale’s adaptations of ‘Night Owl,’ ‘Fanny Mae’ and a strangely orchestrated take of ‘Sloop John B.’ With a soaring guitar that’s drenched in reverb at centre stage and Dale’s gritty vocals varying the action, this is the enduring start of surf rock and a blistering start at that!

Legend On Legend!

Eddy’s superb reverb-drenched renditions of Dylan’s biggest hits gives your ears a fresh take on these familiar favorites. Full of twang and gut bucket harmonica, this collection of 12 songs encapsulates the ‘60s in a way only Duane Eddy could.

Originally released in 1965, the album has remained one of the rarest and hard-to-get collectibles for Duane Eddy fans everywhere. Produced by Lee Hazelwood, the album is completely instrumental and showcases Eddy’s individual stylings of the 1960s.

Eddy’s guitar romps and soars through Dylan’s brain waves – translated in this album into notes which build and explode into bar lines of enjoyable melodies. By instrumentally interpreting 12 of the significant songs of the 60’s, Eddy proves there is quality and richness in popular music, too often knocked down for its tendency toward shrillness and over-amplification.

What Bob Dylan is capable of saying with his magical way with words, Duane Eddy is capable of saying instrumentally. As you will undoubtedly hear, it’s a happy marriage.

Legend On Legend!

Eddy’s superb reverb-drenched renditions of Dylan’s biggest hits gives your ears a fresh take on these familiar favorites. Full of twang and gut bucket harmonica, this collection of 12 songs encapsulates the ‘60s in a way only Duane Eddy could.

Originally released in 1965, the album has remained one of the rarest and hard-to-get collectibles for Duane Eddy fans everywhere. Produced by Lee Hazelwood, the album is completely instrumental and showcases Eddy’s individual stylings of the 1960s.

Eddy’s guitar romps and soars through Dylan’s brain waves – translated in this album into notes which build and explode into bar lines of enjoyable melodies. By instrumentally interpreting 12 of the significant songs of the 60’s, Eddy proves there is quality and richness in popular music, too often knocked down for its tendency toward shrillness and over-amplification.

What Bob Dylan is capable of saying with his magical way with words, Duane Eddy is capable of saying instrumentally. As you will undoubtedly hear, it’s a happy marriage.

A classic now cut at 45 RPM!

Originally released in 1969, the concept for Dusty In Memphis was to take England's reigning female soul queen to the home of the music which had inspired her. Produced by Atlantic's Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin and engineered by Tom Dowd, the record's highlights include "Son Of A Preacher Man," "So Much Love," "Breakfast In Bed," "Just One Smile," "I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore" and "Just A Little Lovin'". Springfield is backed by a crack band that had previously worked with Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, King Curtis and Elvis Presley among others. The musicians - collectively known as the Memphis Cats - include guitarist Reggie Young, bassist Tommy Cogbill, drummer Gene Chrismann, pianist Bobby Wood and Bobby Emmons on organ and electric piano. Songwriting contributions came from, among others, Randy Newman, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Dusty Springfield is one of the finest white soul singers of her era, and this is the undisputed proof.

"Analogue Productions' reissue functions as a case study in what careful remastering and good pressing can achieve-even if the single-jacket package means both 45RPM LPs get crammed into one space. Sonically, it doesn't entirely erase the lack of fill, but adds such a three-dimensional frame to the picture that the holes begin to disappear. Additionally, it creates a much larger soundstage than found on the original, and the improved pitch stability makes it seem you've acquired a better turntable-not just a better pressing." — 4.5/5 stars, Dennis Davis, vinylreviews.com. Read the whole review here.

LP of the Month - Hi-Fi News
"...this LP proved definitively that Ms. Springfield ranks right up there with Aretha Franklin, Etta James and other soul/R&B queens of the post-WWII era...This edition is the finest I've ever heard." LP of the Month. Sound Quality = 99% - Ken Kessler, Hi-Fi News

"...absolutely stunning double 45rpm issue mastered from the original tape by Kevin Gray...I didn't know what to expect from this but my most optimistic hopes didn't begin to approach this album's reinvention at 45rpm...A classic reinvented. Very highly recommended for the music, for the mastering and for the superbly detailed pressing quality too from Quality Record Pressings." Music = 9/11, Sound = 9/11 - Michael Fremer, musicangle.com, November 2011

"...As with all 45 RPM remasterings, the higher groove velocity has made possible the extended high frequencies and lower noise that make this edition a marvel of sound." Performance = 5/5, Sound = 5/5; Editor's Pick, Recording of the Month — Robert Baird, Stereophile, February 2012

"... Kevin Gray turned in a sparkling re-mastering and the 45-RPM pressing from Chad Kassem's Quality Records could hardly be better. 'The Windmills Of Your Mind' throws a huge soundstage and Dusty on vinyl sets a high barrier for high def digital to aim for." Recording = 10/10; Music = 10/10 — Dennis D. Davis, Hi-Fi +, Issue 86