Tuesday 22 July 2014

WEYES BLOOD AND THE DARK JUICES - THE OUTSIDE ROOM





















Not Not Fun Records 2011

01. Storms that Breed
02. Dream Song
03. Candyboy
04. Romneydale
05. In the Isle of Agnito
06. His Song


Natalie Mering is a many monikered solo artist and sometime member of Jackie O Motherfucker. She has many solo releases, most of which are pretty unavailable. This wonderfully abstract, spook folk L.P. was first released as CDr with homemade sleeve, before getting it's 480 limited run on Not Not Fun.

BILL PLUMMER AND THE COSMIC BROTHERHOOD





















Impulse! 1968

01. Journey to the East
02. Pars Fortuna (Parts of Fortune)
03. The Look of Love
04. Song Plum
05. Arc 294
06. Lady Friend
07. Antares

Bill Plummer was a successful double bass player in jazz when he took off to India. Finding himself, immersing in Eastern mysticism and music; not an uncommon journey. On his return, he recorded this fusion L.P. It's not all great, but there are some interesting ideas and moments that dazzle.

Highlights include the opening track, essentially the story of Bill's journey. A hip, almost spoken word vocal describes the adventure, while the sitar heavy sixties backing swings away. The instrumental break points at something more interesting; traditional Indian music with free jazz. Heady.

There's the vibraphone and sitar led take on the underplayed Byrds classic 'Lady Friend', but the real treasure is Arc 294. Essentially the aforementioned Indian/free jazz hybrid, but stretched to a ten minute freak out.

Worth checking out.

ROBBIE BASHO - ZARTHUS





















Vanguard 1974

01. Zarthus
02. Khoda É Gul É Abe (The Lord Of The Blue Rose)
03. Kahlil Gibran
04. Bride Devine
05. Rhapsody In Druz :
      Main Theme
      Wine Section
      Flower of the Heart
      The Flight
      Nightingale
      Darshan
      Ocean Section
      Allah Meher
      Ships
      Baba's Mountain
      Look into your Heart
      March
      Rolling Home

The second of two albums Basho released on Vanguard.