Record Reviews
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  | ALICE & THE MOUNTAIN ~ STRIPPED
LOSEN 293 (Barcode: 7090025832932) ~ NORWAY ~ Pop & Rock
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2024
This is an album by Norwegian singer / songwriter Silje KafjordFind albums by this artist, who uses the moniker Alice & The MountainFind albums by this artist, recorded in a duo format with pianist Bernt MoenFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, seven of which were composed by Kafjord and one co-composed with Moen. The lyrics (in English) are (assumably) by Kafjord.
The music is as intimate and “naked” as possible, recorded live in the studio with an upright piano and natural echo, similar to home recordings done in the distant past (like the 1960s). This special approach creates a charming, albeit somewhat naïve atmosphere, and the music lacks dynamics. This combined with the somewhat limited melodic scope, make this album sound somewhat “primitive” in today’s standards.
But the music is honest and heartfelt, and completely different from today’s studio trickery and artificial effects, and as such has its charm and natural beauty. Kafjord has a playful, almost childish approach to her vocal delivery, which again is charming in a way.
Overall, this is a nice, and quite unusually simplistic sound-wise album in today’s standard, but the minimalism and directness are refreshing and surprisingly pleasant. For listeners, who like unusual Pop, singer / songwriter material sung with a slightly foreign accent, but charming anyway.
| | Updated: 07/09/2024Posted: 07/09/2024 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | MOUNTAIN ~ FLOWERS OF EVIL
COLUMBIA 52749 (Barcode: 074645274928) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 1996
3rd album by the US heavy rock outfit MountainFind albums by this artist, now expanded to a quartet with the addition of Steve KnightFind albums by this artist on keyboards. Another great collection of songs pefrormed flawlessly and with enourmous enegry and passion. Unfortunately this was to be Mountain`s last studio album, as they disbanded the next year after recording a live album.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | MOUNTAIN ~ NANTUCKET SLEIGHRIDE
COLUMBIA 510718 (Barcode: 5099751071822) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2003
2nd album by this ephonymous US power trio led by guitar maestro Leslie West. Together with Cream from UK (to which they had many connections due to Felix Pappalardi, who was the bass player and producer of Mountain, as well as the producer of Cream`s albums), these two bands practically invented heavy rock. Excellent songwriting and playing make this album one of the icons of early heavy rock.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | MOUNTAIN BUS ~ SUNDANCE
GEAR FAB 115 (Barcode: 645270011525) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 1998
Only album by US (Chicago) band Mountain BusFind albums by this artist, originally called just MountainFind albums by this artist but forced to change their name as a result of a law suite by the "other" much more famous and backed up by corporate lawyers band of the same name. Blues-based, they played some really cool music with guts and a lot of talent, sometimes sounding like Grateful DeadFind albums by this artist, but mostly sounding just like themselves. Although obscure, this album is as good as anything recorded at the time and deserves to be re-discovered.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | WEST, BRUCE & LAING ~ LIVE `N` KICKIN`
ESOTERIC 2072 (Barcode: 5013929717220) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1974 Released: 2008
3rd and last album by the short-lived Anglo-American super-group West, Bruce & LaingFind albums by this artist consisting of guitarist Leslie WestFind albums by this artist and drummer Corky LaingFind albums by this artist from the American band MountainFind albums by this artist and British bassist / vocalist / songwriter extraordinaire Jack BruceFind albums by this artist, of CreamFind albums by this artist fame. The group came together after both the first incarnation of Mountain and the Jack Bruce Band fell apart and was almost a "natural" choice of participants, considering the many parallels between Mountain and Cream, both stylistically and personally via Mountain member and Cream producer Felix PappalardiFind albums by this artist. This live recording is a great document of the level of energy involved in the group´s performances and the virtuosity of its members. Bruce´s bass playing is simply spectacular, as are his vocals and he is especially strong on his own compositions. People who like Cream´s live recordings, with expanded song versions, will enjoy this stuff immensely and the younger people can hear what Rock was all about, when it was truly rocking.
Visitors' Comments
Dr. Rafael Augusto Lara Palmeros
This one is WBL´s “swang song”, the last albumn in the short life of this extraordinary supergroup. Recorded live in Orpheum Theater, in Boston, Masachusetts, the band includes four tracks: “Play with fire”, is a Stone cover and is reminiscent of the “Why Dontcha” cut “Love is worth the Blues”, “The doctor” the live version of one of the studio tracks on their debut albumn.”Politician!” is a good track and “Powerhouse sod” is a version with an absolutely mind bending bass solo by Jack.
I think that this work sholuld have been originally released as two-albumn set, incluiding “November song”,”Sifting sand”,”Out of the fields”, “Polution woman” and others. Four stars of five.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | WEST, BRUCE & LAING ~ WHATEVER TURNS YOU ON
ESOTERIC 2075 (Barcode: 5013929717527) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2008
2nd album by the short-lived Anglo-American super-group West, Bruce & LaingFind albums by this artist consisting of guitarist Leslie WestFind albums by this artist and drummer Corky LaingFind albums by this artist from the American band MountainFind albums by this artist and British bassist / vocalist / songwriter extraordinaire Jack BruceFind albums by this artist, of CreamFind albums by this artist fame. The group came together after both the first incarnation of Mountain and the Jack Bruce Band fell apart and was almost a "natural" choice of participants, considering the many parallels between Mountain and Cream, both stylistically and personally via Mountain member and Cream producer Felix PappalardiFind albums by this artist. This studio recording is a great document of the level of energy involved in the group´s performances and the virtuosity of its members. Bruce´s bass playing is simply spectacular, as are his vocals and he is especially strong on his own excellent compositions co-created (as usual) with poet Pete BrownFind albums by this artist. People, who like Cream and Mountain recordings, will enjoy this stuff immensely and the younger people can hear what Rock was all about, when it was truly rocking.
Visitors' Comments
Dr. Rafael Augusto Lara Palmeros
First of all, this item is a great release from Esoteric Records. Whatever turns you on is the second and last studio albumn for the excellent Blues-Rock supergroup West, Bruce and Laing. This studio recording is one of the most underrated albumns in the History of Blues-Rock. The musicians playing a marvelous music with a great performance by Bruce´s bass - I think that is Bruce finest bassplayer ever- (´Rock´n Roll machine, ´Back fire´,´Sifting sand´, ´Like a plate and the wonderful ´November´s song´), Leslie and Corky shine on some Mountain-like heavy Blues rockers like ´Rock´n Roll Machine and ´Backfire´. On other hand, ´Sifting sand´is a beauty song with one of those powerful West gospelvocals They are a real, great combination for Bruce and the music is well-played, strong and beautiful, but it really is Jack´s albumn. Time to re-valute this lost masterwork from a supergroup. Excellent!!! and a must for a Blues-Rock fan!!!. Five stars or more
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | LESLIE WEST ~ BLUE ME
PROVOGUE 7191 (Barcode: 8712725719120) ~ USA ~ Blues-Rock
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006
2nd recent album by legendary guitarist Leslie WestFind albums by this artist, dedicated to the exploration of his blues roots. Similar to its predecessor (Got BloozeFind albums with this title), the album includes a mixture of blues and rock classics brilliantly performed by West and his cohorts, again including drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist (see John MayallFind albums by this artist, Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist). West lost none of his magic touch, which made MountainFind albums by this artist one of the most distinctive and pioneering groups of the late 1960s. There are no great discoveries here, no groundbreaking pyrotechnics, just perfect blues-rock performances that sound right time after time. If you love Mountain, you’ll love this. If you love the blues, you’ll love this too. Just listen to West’s version of George GershwinFind albums by this artist’s “Summertime” and bliss will take over. So what else can one ask for?
Visitors' Comments
Dr. Rafael Augusto Lara Palmeros
A superb albumn!!!. Leslie West and a group of excellent musicians – Aynsley Dunbar, Tim Fahey, Kevin Curry, Art Groom, Todd Wolfe and Brian Michell - recorded this marvelous music with covers from Leroy Carr, Ida Cox, The Great Muddy Waters, Sonny Thompson and others. The music is a mixture of Blues-Rock and some Bayou sound (´Green River´). West still sings with a gear-shredding roar and guitar lines sound heavier than thunder on this set of blues-rockers. ´Hit the road Jack´ is relatively sleek and elegant (remember Ray Charles version!!), ´Four day creep´ is a Blues-Rock as old times (West, Bruce and Laing), ´Standing around crying´ is a real good Blues. Gershwin´s ´Summertime´, that closes the albumn is plenity moody, with West´s guitar weeping and a exceptional Brian Mitchell playing piano. A must for a real Blues-Rock fan!!. 4.5 stars.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | LESLIE WEST ~ GOT BLOOZE
PROVOGUE 7155 (Barcode: 8712725715528) ~ USA ~ Blues-Rock
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005
Legendary guitarist Leslie WestFind albums by this artist is best known as the leader of MountainFind albums by this artist, America’s answer to the UK power trio CreamFind albums by this artist. Mountain recorded a series of excellent albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which were loud and powerful (often being quoted as one of the forefathers of Heavy Rock), but also quite sophisticated. West’s unique tone and approach to the guitar, heavily based in the blues tradition, stays to this very day as one of the icons of the formative years of electric guitar. A famous anecdote tells that if one places West in a room with another 99 guitar players, just one note played by him will be immediately recognizable. Since the mid-1970s West recorded sporadically, with none of the albums leaving any significant impact on the scene, but his 2000s output marks a revival of his powers. West returned to what he does best – playing the blues in his unique manner, which has but a few competitors. West formed an excellent group with two formidable blues / rock veterans: Tim BogertFind albums by this artist (Vanilla FudgeFind albums by this artist, CactusFind albums by this artist, Beck, Bogert & AppiceFind albums by this artist) – one of rock’s most respected bass players and Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist (John MayallFind albums by this artist, Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist) – one of blues-rock most respected drummers. Together they storm through a program, which includes many blues standards, but sounds fresh and vital like never before. West also pays tribute to his ex-partner Jack BruceFind albums by this artist by including his superb composition “Politician” on this album. For blues-rock fans this is an absolute must!
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