Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company, formed in 1969 by David Borden, was the world's first synthesizer ensemble, predating groups like Tonto's Expanding Head Band and Tangerine Dream. David Borden was in close contact with Dr. Robert Moog and was one of the first musicians to use his Minimoog. After recruiting Steve Drews and Linda Fisher to operate additional synthesizers, the group began playing concerts of minimalist music by Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. They began recording their first self-titled album in 1970, but it would not be released until 1973 by Earthquack Records. Their second album, Like a Duck to Water, was released in 1976. Borden and Mother Mallard continue performing Borden's recent and older music
New England's Blades of Grass were every bit as good as any of the other so-called sunshine pop groups that surfaced in the psychedelic summer of 1967, and if it weren't for a run of just plain blind bad luck, might have had a chance for bigger and better things. As it was, they managed just one album and a handful of singles before calling it quits. The group's biggest success was a version of "Happy," which charted well on the east coast, but unfortunately had to compete with the Sunshine Company's rendition, which stole most of the airplay in the rest of the country. Amazingly, Blades of Grass turned around and subsequently repeated the same scenario with "I Love You Alice B. Toklas," competing with the version by Harpers Bizarre, leading one to wonder if it wasn't bad management rather than bad luck that ultimately haunted them. The group's sole album, Blades of Grass Are Not for Smoking, is presented here in its entirety, along with some non-LP singles, and the end result is a light, soothing collection of baroque pop, heavy on angelic harmonies and ornate orchestration. (Steve Leggett) 01 - Happy 02 - Just Ah 03 - Tomorrow Is My Turn 04 - Satin Slipper 05 - You Won't Find That Girl 06 - Just Another Face 07 - Help! 08 - Or Is It The Rain 09 - Walk Away Renee 10 - That's What A Boy Likes 11 - The Way You'll Never Be 12 - I Love You, Alice B. Toklas 13 - You Turned Off The Sun 14 - Charlie And Fred 15 - Pageant 16 - If You Love Her, Cherish Her And Such 17 - Baby, You're A Real Good Friend Of Mine 18 - Leap Into The Arms Of Love LINK
The Game formed in Mitcham, Surrey, in 1964. Terry Spencer and Allen Janaway had earlier played together in a group called The Secrets, along with future occasional member Terry Brown. Mod-popsters Game had a brief liaison with Kenny Lynch (the black Cockney entertainer) and then signed to the Original Sound Productions management agency and production company, which consisted of Mitcham songwriters Lesley Blake, Alan Gowing and Terry Brown.
01 But I Do 02 Gotta Keep On Moving Baby 03 Gonna Get Me Someone 04 Gotta Wait 05 The Addicted Man 06 Help Me Mummy's Gone 07 It's Shocking What They Call Me 08 The Addicted Man (prev. unreleased) 09 Lavender Grove (as Lavender Grove) 10 When I Was Young (as Lavender Grove) 11 Unfair (1996) 12 Still On The Game (1996) 13 The Addicted Man (1996)
The Ultimate Spinach, composed of keyboardist/guitarist Ian Bruce-Douglas and singer Barbara Hudson was a psychedelic/hard rock/blues band of Boston's alternative scene in the second half of the 1960s.. In their '60's heyday they specialized in lengthy songs such as "Ballad of the Hip Death Goddess", from Ultimate Spinach (1968) and "Genesis of Beauty", from Behold And See (1968). Since 1970 the band have largely abandoned the psychedelic sounds and have (since at least 1975) dropped all of the '60's songs from their setlists (with the exception of 'Ballad Of The Hip Death Goddess' and a few from the third album). In this album, the only original member was Barbara Hudson. One of the musicians who played on the album was guitarist Jeff Baxter, future session man for Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers. This album leaves behind the psychedelic effects that characterised the Bruce-Douglas period and developing a generic sound more reminiscent of such acts as The Byrds, The Monkees and the '68-era Beach Boys.
01 - (Just Like) Romeo And Juliet 02 - Some Days You Just Can't Win 03 - Daisy 04 - Sincere 05 - Eddie's Rush 06 - Strange Life Tragicomedy 07 - Reasons 08 - Happiness Child 09 - Back Door Blues 10 - The World Has Just Begun
Carpenters were a vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter. Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and press materials is simply "Carpenters", without the definite article. During a period in the 1970s when louder and wilder rock was in great demand, Richard and Karen produced a distinctively soft musical style that made them among the best-selling music artists of all time. Ticket to Ride is the first album by Carpenters. At the time of its release in 1969 under the name Offering, it was a commercial failure and produced only one minor hit single - "Ticket to Ride", a ballad version of a song made famous by The Beatles. After the Carpenters' breakthrough however, the album was re-issued internationally under the name Ticket to Ride and sold moderately.
01 - Invocation 02 - Your Wonderful Parade 03 - Someday 04 - Get Together 05 - All Of My Life 06 - Turn Away 07 - Ticket To Ride 08 - Don't Be Afraid 09 - What's The Use 10 - All I Can Do 11 - Eve 12 - Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing 13 - Benediction
Wigwam is a Finnish progressive rock band formed in 1968 after the split of the seminal Blues Section, with whom drummer Ronnie Österberg had played before. He formed the band as a trio, but soon brought in British expatriate singer/songwriter Jim Pembroke (also in BS) and organist Jukka Gustavson. A year later, Pekka Pohjola joined on bass. Kim Fowley produced Wigwam's second album Tombstone Valentine (1970). This album also featured an excerpt of Erkki Kurenniemi's electronic composition 'Dance of the Anthropoids'. The 1974 album Being is often called Wigwam's masterpiece. After its release, though, Pohjola and Gustavson quit the band. Hard N' Horny is the debut album. 01 - 633 Jesu Fåglar 02 - Pidäan Sinusta 03 - En Aio Paeta 04 - Neron Muistolle; Hyvää Yötä 05 - Guardian Angel, The Future 06 - No Pens, Ei Karsinoita 07 - Henry's Mountain Range Or Thereabouts 08 - Henry's Geographical And Astronomical Mistakes 09 - Henry's Highway Code 10 - Henry's Ghastly And Diabolical Mistakes 11 - Henry's Cancelled Holiday Plans 12 - Henry's Concentration Camp Brochure 13 - Henry's Ears, Eyes, Girlfriend And Feet 14 - Henry's Hard And Horny All-Niter 15 - Henry's Milk Round In The Morning LINK
