Various Artists - Nippon Girl: Japanese Pop, Beat & Bossa Nova 1966-1970 (2009)

Various Artists - Nippon Girl: Japanese Pop, Beat & Bossa Nova 1966-1970 (2009)

Big Beat Records
Big Beat International / CDWIKD 288

 * The Big Beat International label returns with a bang and another celebration of the wonderful world of Japanese 60s pop. After the acclaimed "GS I Love You" volumes, it's the girls turn, as Big Beat examine the distaff side of the country's remarkable GS pop scene with "Nippon Girls".

 * The likes of Shonen Knife and The 5-6-7-8s have given more face to women in Japanese pop, but they draw on a tradition that stretches back to the wild 1960s "Group Sounds" era, when the Land Of the Rising Sun was smitten with westernised rock'n'roll, yet came to develop its own distinctive brand of the same. Like in the west, female artistes tended to be solo, though their accompaniment often came from some of the top GS acts like the Bunnies. Major female stars of the period represented here include Miki Obata, Linda Yamamoto and Mie Nakao, the latter with the fuzztoned classic `Sharock No 1'.

 * The sound was eclectic, drawing upon not only the full smorgasbord of 60s styles like groovy go-go, lounge-y bossa nova and wobbly pop-psych, but also traditional Japanese songwriting and themes. There's dance floor fillers such as `Ye-Ye' and the usual fascinating interpretations of western material, such as Nana Kanomi's take on the Zombies' `I Love You'.

 * "Nippon Girls" is annotated by noted girl group expert and latter-day Japanese pop champion Sheila Burgel of Cha Cha Charming magazine, who provides a fascinating overview of this tremendous and compelling tributary of 60s pop. Highly recommended to girl group fanciers, GS groovers and any one else with a keen ear for eclectic 60s pop.



 Tracklist:

 01. Black Room - Jun Mayuzumi
 02. Sharock No. 1 - Mie Nakao
 03. Peacock Baby - Reiko Ohara
 04. Suki Sa Suki Sa Suki Sa - Nana Kinomi & Leo Beats
 05. Taiyou Wa Naite Iru - Ayumi Ishida
 06. Ye-Ye - Eiko Shuri
 07. Nagisa No Tenshi - Mieko Hirota
 08. Koi No Ban Ban - Linda Yamamoto
 09. Kiiro No Sekai - J. Girls
 10. Suki Yo Ai Shite - Mari Atsumi
 11. Watashi No Inori - Rumi Koyama
 12. Komacchau Na - Linda Yamamoto
 13. Bazazz Tengoku - The Cupids
 14. Doyou No Yoru Nanika Ga Okiru - Jun Mayuzumi
 15. Hatsu Koi No Letter - Miki Obata
 16. Ame Agari No Samba - Ryoko Moriyama
 17. Taiyou Ga Kowai No - Kaoru Hibiki
 18. Uwasa No Futari - Mie Nakao
 19. Koi Wa Heart De - Aki Izumi
 20. Tenshi No Itazura - Emy Jackson
 21. Tsukikage No Rendezvous - Keiko Mari
 22. Aeba Suki Suki - Margaret With Bunnies
 23. Koi No Yorokobi - Sayuri Yoshinaga With Schoolmates
 24. Kaze To Otoko No Ko - Mieko Hirota
 25. Nikui Aitsu - Mika Nohira

Nippon Girl: Japanese Pop, Beat & Bossa Nova 1966-1970 (2009) 

Various Artists - Wondrous Stories: A Complete Introduction To Progressive Rock (2010)

Various Artists - Wondrous Stories: A Complete Introduction To Progressive Rock (2010)

4CD Box Set Universal Music

Charting the rise and popularity of progressive rock from its psychedelic routes in the 1960s through to it’s heyday in the 1970s, Wondrous Stories features all the biggest artists and tracks of the genre.The compilation includes artists such as Genesis, Caravan, Mike Oldfield, Yes, Peter Gabriel and Jethro Tull. Progressive Rock is one of the most loved and frequently debated of all musical genres. This 52 track collection is a worthy addition to Universal's much-loved A Complete Introduction To Series. Compliled by Jerry Ewing, the editor of Classic Prog magazine, it takes us on a magical, leisurely journey through the corners of this wondrous genre.For those who think it's all about pixies and trippy guitar solos, think again (although both of those are here). Wiondrous Stories: A Complete Introduction To Progressive Rock boasts brand new cover art by Roger Dean, designer of the legendary 'Yes' logo, by some of the most influential album sleeves of all time.



Tracklist:

CD 1

 01 Sam Gopal - Season Of The Witch 4:29
 02 Colosseum - Walking In The Park 3:55
 03 Nucleus - Song For The Bearded Lady 7:22
 04 Van Der Graaf Generator - Darkness II/II 7:28
 05 Comus - Diana 4:37
 06 Jethro Tull - Aqualung 8:34
 07 Atomic Rooster - Devil’s Answer 3:20
 08 Dr. Z - Evil Woman’s Manly Child 4:47
 09 Jan Dukes De Grey - Mice And Rats In The Loft 8:23
 10 Curved Air - Back Street Love 3:35
 11 Yes - Roundabout 8:31
 12 Caravan - Golf Girl 5:01
 13 Aphrodite’s Child - The Four Horsemen 5:54

CD 2

 01 ELP - From The Beginning 4:16
 02 Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells 3:18
 03 Gong - Oily Way 3:37
 04 Rare Bird - Epic Forest 9:11
 05 Beggars Opera - MacArthur Park 8:20
 06 Gentle Giant - In A Glass House 8:09
 07 Magna Carta - Lord Of Ages 9:58
 08 Gryphon - Opening Move 9:44
 09 Fruupp - The Seventh Secret 1:14
 10 Supertramp - School 5:35
 11 Rick Wakeman - Merlin The Magician 8:51
 12 Barclay James Harvest - Child Of The Universe 5:02

CD 3

 01 Yes - Wondrous Stories 3:45
 02 Steve Hillage - Hurdy Gurdy Man 6:32
 03 Camel - Air Born 5:00
 04 ELP - Fanfare For The Common Man 9:47
 05 Rush - A Farewell To Kings 5:53
 06 Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - The Mighty Quinn 3:38
 07 Jon Anderson - Some Are Born 4:08
 08 Barclay James Harvest - Mocking Bird 6:39
 09 Camel - Sasquatch 4:44
 10 Mike Oldfield - Five Miles Out 4:17
 11 Jethro Tull - Pussy Willow 3:52
 12 Emerson, Lake & Powell - Touch & Go 3:35
 13 The Moody Blues - I Know You’re Out There Somewhere 6:38
 14 Marillion - Jigsaw 6:49

CD 4

 01 Pallas - Eyes In The Night 4:11
 02 Rush - The Weapon 6:24
 03 It Bites - The Old Man And The Angel 3:46
 04 World Trade - The Moment Is Here 4:30
 05 Dream Theater - Pull Me Under 8:12
 06 Queensryche - I Am I 3:56
 07 Opeth - The Drapery Falls 10:54
 08 Spock’s Beard - Stranger In A Strange Land 4:29
 09 Coheed & Cambria - Ten Speed (Of Gods Blood & Burial) 3:47
 10 The Reasoning - Awakening 6:50
 11 The Mars Volta - Since We’ve Been Wrong 7:20
 12 Eureka - Going Home 5:10
 13 IQ - Frequency 8:29

Wondrous Stories: A Complete Introduction To Progressive Rock (2010)

Il Balletto Di Bronzo - Sirio 2222 (1970)

Il Balletto Di Bronzo - Sirio 2222 (1970)

Napoli, Italy [RCA PSL 10459]

Italian-sung hard-psychedelia at its best

"Il Balletto di Bronzo were born in Napoli in the late '60s and their debut album Sirio 2222 is considered one of the top Italian albums of all time. Not only this, it's also regarded internationally as one of the finest examples of hard-psychedelia ever to be recorded. It certainly has a progressive feel too, but being recorded in 1970, the prog sound was not still strongly installed, so this has only a flavor. An absolute killer of an album,, and original copies of this album go for $1000." ~ ForcedExposure



Tracklist:

1. Un Posto 3:23
2. Eh Eh Ah Ah 3:59
3. Neve Calda 2:56
4. Ma Ti Aspettero 3:20
5. Meditazione 3:53
6. Girotondo 3:15
7. Incantesimo 6:46
8. Ti Risveglierai Con Me 2:41
9. Missione Sirio 2222 9:37

Il Balletto Di Bronzo - Sirio 2222 (1970)

Kahvas Jute - Wide Open (1971)

Kahvas Jute - Wide Open (1971)

Italian reissue of legendary Australian psychedelic/hard rock album originally released on Trinity in 1973. The group is widely known in collectors circles for the guitar work of Dennis Wilson & Tim Gaze (also of the great hard-psyche group Taman Shud). Bassist Bob Daisley went onto work with Ozzy Osbourne, Widowmaker, Ritchie Blackmore & Gary Moore. For fans of Human Instinct.

This superb progressive rock band is one of the hidden treasures of early-70s Australian rock. They were one of the first bands signed to Festival's new progressive imprint Infinity and produced just one brilliant gem of an album, Wide Open, which is regrettably their only commercial recording. It earned rave reviews at the time, and it's been justly praised by rock historian Ian McFarlane as "a progressive rock milestone". Alongside their comtemporaries Spectrum, Tamam Shud, Blackfeather and The Aztecs, Kahvas Jute spearheaded a new direction and indentity for Australian music. Their album, and the single from it (Free) are still regarded as among the best Australian 'prog' releases of the period. The LP has long been a prized collectors item both here and overseas, but happily it has been reissued on CD and it’s a must-have for anyone serious fan of Australian music.

Lineup:

Bob Daisley - Bass
Dannie Davidson - Drums
Tim Gaze - Guitar
Dennis Wilson - Guitar
Scott Maxey - Bass

Tracklist:

1. Free 5:08
2. Odyssey 3:58
3. Up There 2:49
4. She´s So Hard To Shake 4:16
5. Vikings 4:30
6. Steps Of Time 3:21
7. Twenty Three 3:48
8. Ascend 3:06
9. Parade Of Fools 8:58

Buffy Sainte-Marie - Illuminations (1969)

Buffy Sainte-Marie - Illuminations (1969)

1. God Is Alive, Magic Is Afoot 4:51
2. Mary 1:30
3. Better To Find Out For Yourself 2:12
4. The Vampire 2:05
5. Adam 5:05
6. The Dream Tree 2:34
7. Suffer The LIttle Children 2:53
8. The Angel 3:41
9. With You, Honey 1:48
10. Guess Who I Saw In Paris 2:25
11. He's A Keeper Of The Fire 3:21
12. Poppies 3:26