Monday, November 24, 2014

Led Zeppelin - III (1970 Atlantic this re 2014)




I have never been any big fan of LZ and allways passed this album mostly because everybody say it is not so good. But they were wrong. In my ears LZ III sounds mature music for adults. Immigrant Song is may be the most known song on the album, but there are such songs as "Since I've Lovin You", "Gallows Pole" and "Bron Y Aur Stomp" which are excellent. LZ's best album?

Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts (1971 Virgin this re 2013 4 Men With Beards)




Every prog fan knows this album. I heard it first time in seventies and did not like it. I did not like Peter Hammil's vocal sound. I also found it artsy and affected. After avoiding this for decades i have recently started to inure meself with it but i have to say i still seem to have a long way to go. Pawn Hearts has its  moments but there are too many moments they try too much to be so pompously mysterious.

Deja Vu - Between The Leaves (1977 this 1996 Record Heaven)



There are many bands playing on this album. No, not really but i can hear there at least Camel, Queen, Gentle Giant (maybe), Yes (synthesizers on Topographic Oceans), Pink Floyd, Wigwam, Tabula Rasa, Jukka Tolonen, Deja Vu is quite late progressive rock from Norway and fortunately not yet absorbed too much influences from that irritating AOR style of typical late 70's "prog". In fact Deja Vu is one of those hidden pearls of the prog era you may still have not yet stumbled on. It is a well played mixed bag of different styles of prog based stuff, both hard and melodic and everithg from between. The main thing why i like this more than i normally would is the feeling of jammy undertow basicly caused by the skillful  bassist.
visons of nirvana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJxe56gMbk

John Lodge - Natural Avenue (1977 Decca)




Picked this only because of it was cheap and mint condition both cover and vinyl and of course "nice" R. Dean cover. The content is not very uplifting but quite okay elevator music anyway if i only had an elevator where to hear it.