Saturday 24 May 2014

RUSALNAIA





















Camera Obscura 2007

01. The Sailor and the Siren
02. Shifting Sands
03. Kindling
04. Rusalnaia
05. The Ravager
06. Winter
07. Dandelion Wine
08. Wild Summer

Rusalnaia is Sharron Kraus and Gillian Chadwick. Marvellous neo-folk with a touch of spook and a hint of acid. For fans of Espers.

GROUPER - VIOLET REPLACEMENT






















Yellow Electric 2012

01. Rolling Gate
02. Sleep

Self released and limited to 100 copies, this CDr arrived after AIA and was the focus of live shows. Tape loops, guitar effects, improvisation. Ace.

CHIMERA






















Wooden Hill 2004 (Recorded 1970)

01. Come Into the Garden / Interlude #1
02. The Grail / Interlude #2
03. Sad Song for the Winter / Interlude #3
04. Mary's Mystery
05. Lady With Bullets In Her Hair
06. Black Hat Babe
07. Song In E
08. Episode At Telegraph Hill
09. Mourning Sounds
10. Peru

Bonus :

11. Sad Song For the Winter (Alternate Mix)
12. Elegy to a Dead King
13. The Voyage
14. Of Reason
15. Reflection of a Thought
16. Mr Binns Takes a Trip
17. Gypsy Wanderer
18. Piper Song
19. Ballad of a Lady Waiting

Chimera are Lisa Bankoff and Francesca Garnett.  They recorded this L.P. for the Morgan Blue Town label in 1969 and despite the big names (Rick Wright, Nick Mason, Bob Weston) this album was never released. The label folded, the band fell apart and no amount of celebrity endorsement could secure a release for this record.

A cassette containing the first mix was discovered during an archival project that would see other Morgan Blue Town releases remastered and re-issued. That too was scrapped.

This record has a wonderful acid-psych-folk feel with touches of prog. Excellent spooky female vocals too.

In 1967, they recorded a tape of their own songs in Rome, and had it pressed onto acetate to give to the Phillips label. These make up the bonus tracks, and make a fine acid folk album of their own.