August 30, 2013 Playlist

"New! Improved!" by Blue Cheer (1969)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Blue Cheer  "New! Improved!"  1969 (USA)
Blue Cheer made 2.5 great albums; their third release is one of the most schizophrenic records of the rock era. Originally a power trio of Leigh Stephens (atonal deafness guitar), Paul Whaley (thunder clomp drums) and Dickie Peterson (vocals and tooloud bass), by '69 they had released two LPs but then their guitarist quit. For their third time out, they made a record with each side performed by a different new band, but both called Blue Cheer. Though both sides were new, only one might be considered an improvement: the B-side features two mondo guitar epics written by and starring Randy Holden (plus a short toss-off track), and takes the heaviest power trio of the sixties to a new musical peak. But the other side of the album features the nucleas of the band going forward (the anonymous Bruce Stephens on guitar, plus a keyboardist?!) and is a bunch of boring hippie studio country and even includes a mediocre Bob Dylan cover. True, rusticness was "in" after the harrowing heaviness of '68 (the massive success of Crosby Stills & Nash also deserves some blame/credit), but that is just not what you want to hear on a Blue Cheer album! So the second side is our classic album of the week, don't bother with side one!
(N) = New Release
 
Artist Song Album Year Country
Blue Cheer Doctor Please (live - interpolating "Third Stone From The Sun" by Jimi Hendrix)Rocks Europe (N)recorded 2008 (2013 Rainman)USA
 
 
Blue Cheer
Peace Of Mind
New! Improved!
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1969
USA
Blue Cheer
Fruit & Iceburgs
New! Improved!
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1969
USA
Blue Cheer
Honey Butter Lover
New! Improved!
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1969
USA
Randy Holden
Keeper Of My Flame
Population II 1970
USA
   
 
Black Sabbath Live Forever
13 (N)2013 (Mercury)UK
La Machine Sucks To Come Down
Phases And Repetition (N)2013 (Castleface)France
Fuck Buttons SentientsSlow Focus (N)2013 (ATP)UK
David Lynch Sun Can't Be Seen No More
The Big Dream (N)2013 (Sacred Bones)USA
Bombino Niamey JamNomad (N)2013 (Nonesuch)Niger
   
 
CrowEvil Woman (Don't Play Your Games With Me) (covered by Black Sabbath)Crow Music1970USA
Wishbone AshJail BaitPilgrimage1971UK
FlashBlack And WhiteIn The Can1972UK
FocusBirthHamburger Concerto1974Netherlands
Steve HillageRadioMotivation Radio1977UK
 
 
Bosnian Rainbows Morning Sickness
Bosnian Rainbows (N)2013 (Sargent House)USA
Eleanor FriedbergerI Am The Past
Personal Record (N) 2013 (Merge)USA
Grant Hart For Those Too High AspiringThe Argument (N)2013 (Domino)USA
Grant HartFanfare in D Major (Come Come)Intolerance1989USA
Meat Puppets River RoseRat Farm (N)2013 (Megaforce)USA
 
  
Gabor SzaboCaravan (Duke Ellington)
   / Summertime (George Gershwin)
Jazz Raga1966Hungary/USA
Herbie Mann (with Sonny Sharrock & Roy Ayers)Philly Dog (live - Rufus Thomas)Live At The Whiskey A Go Go 1968USA
The Stark Reality On Being Black
Acting, Thinking, Feeling (N - reissue box set)rec. 1968 (2013 Now Again)USA
      
   
   
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