The Motors - Approved By The Motors 1978 (2001, Disky)

After several years in England's pub rock scene, ex-Duck Deluxe members Nick Garvey and Andy McMaster formed the Motors in 1977 with vocalist Bram Tchaikovsky and drummer Ricky Slaughter. Their first album was a splendid piece of guitar-driven pop/rock highlighted by the single "Dancing the Night Away."

Approved By was the album that earned them the U.K. hits "Airport" and "Forget About You"; the record saw the band's songwriting improving with forceful melodies and invigorating performances. After that record, the Motors split up; Garvey and McMaster used the band's name for the 1980 album Tenement Steps, which didn't equal the spark of their first two records.(S.T.Erlewine, allmusic.com)

'Airport' is one of very few songs where if i listen to i get a very special feeling which takes me back to the time i listened the song for the first time. However, this guys were really gifted musicians and this is a favorite pop album of the seventies by me. Enjoy.(Frank)

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Marc Bolan & T. Rex - T. Rex 1970 (A&M, Universal 2CD Deluxe Edition 2014)

Tyrannosaurus Rex's transformation from oracles of U.K. hippie culture to boogie-friendly rock stars began with the album A Beard of Stars, released in early 1970 when the band picked up electric instruments, and by the time the year was out, Marc Bolan had pared their name down to the more user-friendly T. Rex and dropped their first album with the new moniker.

Oddly enough, while the songs on T. Rex bear a much stronger melodic and lyrical resemblance to what would make the band famous on Electric Warrior in 1971, the tone of the album is a bit more pastoral than A Beard of Stars; on most of the tunes, the electric guitars are more successfully integrated into the arrangements so they lack the jarring immediacy of "Elemental Children" or "Pavilions of the Sun," and Mickey Finn still wasn't using a full drum kit, so the tunes don't quite have the kick of a full-on rock band.

But Bolan himself sounds like he's ready for his close-up, as his vocals -- mannered yet quietly passionate and full of belief -- suggest the glam hero he would soon become, and numbers like "Beltrane Walk," "Is It Love," and "Diamond Meadows" (with its wink-and-nudge refrain "Hey, let's do it like we're friends") are just a few paces away from the swaggering sound that would make him the U.K.'s biggest star.

If Bolan was reaching for the big time with T. Rex, he also sounds like he was letting out the rock star that had always lurked within him, and there isn't a moment here that doesn't sound like he's singing from his heart and soul.

T. Rex is the quiet before the storm of Electric Warrior, and it retains a loopy energy and easy charm that makes it one of Bolan's watershed works.(Mark Deming, allmusic.com)

In my opinion Marc Bolan always limited himself to the essential in his songs. Even when the sound was completely electrified. And he was someone who had that talent. And that says a lot about his songs. Listen to 'One Inch Rock'; everything a good pop song needs is in this thrifty arrangement. Bolan songs always sounded and worked like T.Rex with only an acoustic guitar.In the meaning of the word 'popstar' there were only a few that fit this term as well as it did to Marc Bolan. Oh so...this is the first real T.Rex album and I give five stars out of five. Enjoy.(Frank)

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Mark One Of Space Rock Legend UFO: UFO - UFO1 (1970), UFO - UFO - Flying - One Hour Space Rock (1971), UFO - UFO - Live (1972) (1999+2008 Repertoire), (2008 Repertoire), (2008 Repertoire)

 Vocalist Phil Mogg, guitarist Mick Bolton, bassist Pete Way, and drummer Andy Parker formed the British space metal outfit UFO in 1969. Originally known as Hocus Pocus, the group, which took the name UFO in honor of a London club, debuted in 1971 with UFO 1. Both the album and its follow-up, the same year's Flying, found great success in Japan, France, and Germany, but was barely noticed in the band's native country; as a result, their third effort, 1972's Live, was released only in Japan.

 In 1974, Bolton left the group; after brief trial runs with ex-Pink Fairies guitarist Larry Wallis and future Whitesnake member Bernie Marsden, former Scorpion Michael Schenker stepped in as a permanent replacement in time to record 1974's Phenomenon, which sported a harder-edged guitar sound. After 1975's Force It and 1976's No Heavy Petting brought UFO increased visibility with American audiences, keyboardist Paul Raymond joined for 1977's Lights Out. However, after 1978's Obsession, Schenker left the group, first to rejoin the Scorpions and later to form his own band. Despite the addition of guitarist Paul Chapman, the next UFO LP, No Place to Run, failed to match the success of its predecessors.

In 1982, the band released Mechanix, notching a minor U.S. hit with "Back into My Life"; later that year, Way exited to form Waysted and was replaced by ex-Eddie & the Hot Rods bassist Paul Gray. After 1983's Making Contact, UFO dissolved, only to re-form two years later for Misdemeanor; however, the album was met with little response, and they again called it quits. In 1993, the group's most popular lineup -- Mogg, Schenker, Way, Raymond, and Parker -- reunited and recorded the 1995 album Walk on Water; after a tour, the members yet again went their separate ways. Mogg and Way continued to work as Mogg/Way and released the albums Edge of the World (1997) and Chocolate Box (1999).

Schenker rejoined in 2000 along with veteran drummer Aynsley Dunbar for the two-CD Covenant, which featured one disc of new studio recordings along with one disc of live recordings. Sharks came out in 2002; Schenker and Dunbar departed and were replaced by Vinnie Moore and Jason Bonham, respectively. This new band welcomed returning keyboardist Paul Raymond for 2004's You Are Here and 2005's live album Showtime.




Bonham was the next to leave and was replaced by the band's original drummer, Andy Parker, for 2006's The Monkey Puzzle. The Visitor -- an album recorded without the participation of Pete Way due to the bassist's health problems -- followed in 2009.

 Seven Deadly arrived in 2012, and in early 2015 the group issued its 21st studio long-player, Conspiracy of Stars, which featured a lineup of core members Phil Mogg, Paul Raymond, and Andy Parker, along with Vinnie Moore and bassist Rob De Luca. Two years later, the band released the all-covers LP The Salentino Cuts. (Jason Ankeny, allmusic.com)

 The band can look back on a long career with varied success. But for me they had their best time from the beginning of the seventies until 1973 with the original line-up and the second line-up with Michael Schenker from the 'Phenomenon' album up to and including 'Lights Out' 1977. These were also their most commercially successful years. With adding Schenker to the line up the sound changed more to a hard rock style.
Here are their first two albums and their '72 Live Album. Enjoy.(Frank)

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Garage Pop: Cardboard Villains - Cardboard Villains (2013 Ghost Highway Recordings) Vinyl

Cardboard Villains is a Swedish five piece that write and perform modern songs with a retro feel. Fans of 60's garage rock or vintage pop will find plenty to love about this album. Formed in 2010 by Linus Wallin (vocals and guitar) and Magnus Nordin (bass), this band quickly started writing songs and playing together with drummer Magnus Magnusson and keyboard player Mats Sjöblom. Magnus Ellsveden (guitar) joined shortly afterwards. The band has released one single and one LP on the Spanish vinyl lable Ghost Highway Recordings.(Album notes,cd baby)

The band plays a trendy version of Garage Rock, inspired by the sixties. Enjoy.(Frank)
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Jimmy Page - Anthology-Studio Works 1964-1968 (1997 Overseas Records, Japan)

Explaining who Jimmy Page is is pretty unnecessary. Everybody has heard him before and probably even before his time at Led Zeppelin. Because he did a lot of studio work in the sixties. Played on countless recordings of famous musicians and also on less famous recordings. He was probably the hottest session guitarist in the UK in the sixties. This compilation highlights a part of the time between '64 and '

68 and is mostly very recommendable. Recordings with Neil Christian, Nico, Eric Clapton (of course), Fleur De Lys, Cocker, The Masterminds and so on. Have fun (Frank)
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Pop/Trad. Pop/Folk/Country; Gene And Debbe - Playboy (The Best Of Gene And Debbe) 1968 (2006 Sundazed)

Gene Thomas and Debbe Neville were a fresh-scrubbed pop duo from Nashville, TN, who sounded something like a twangier Sonny & Cher, or as if Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood had been stripped of their eccentricities (particularly Hazlewood's tumescent ego). Gene & Debbe's sole Top 20 hit was "Playboy" in 1968, and this collection from Sundazed features that tune as well as 21 other sides from the short-lived duo.

 While these songs were obviously aimed for the pop charts, there's no avoiding the fact this stuff was recorded in Nashville (and released on TRX Records, an offshoot of the powerful Acuff-Rose publishing concern) -- the keening pedal steel on "Torch I Carry," the banjo on "Lovin' Season," and the cheatin' song ethos of "Rings of Gold" all point to the act's Music City heritage, and producer Don Gant (who later recorded with the Neon Philharmonic) was clearly shooting for lots of charm rather than a significant share of hipness (as if the presence of a Dean Martin cover wouldn't make that obvious).

 Still, Thomas and Neville sang well together, and the former brought some good songs to the table, especially the Dylanesque "The Sun Won't Shine Again" and the heartfelt "I'll Come Running." Playboy: The Best of Gene & Debbie collects everything they released during their two-year lifespan along with four songs that have never been heard before, and frankly this is more Gene & Debbe than anyone but an obsessed fan would want to own.

But if you want to hear Gene & Debbe, this is clearly the place to go, and the typically excellent remastering and packaging from Sundazed show this material more respect than they'd likely receive from anyone else.(Mark Deming, allmusic.com)

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Flying Norwegians ‎– Originals: New Day / Wounded Bird 1974/76 (1994 Fjording) 2 CD

In the late 1960s, guitarist Rune Walle (b. 1951) and drummer Gunnar Bergstrøm (b. 1952) became acquainted. They were both highly sought after musicians in the Bergen music scene, due to their young age and high musical skill level. In 1973, both of them were recruited for the second line-up of popular rock group Saft, with whom they recorded their award-winning album "Stev, sull, rock & roll", which also included violinist and folk musician Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa.[1] Wanting to create a more country-driven sound, heavily inspired by bands such as the Eagles and the Flying Burrito Brothers, Walle and Bergstrøm left the band to form their own, titled "Flying Norwegians", in January 1974.

To complete the line-up they recruited several other known musicians in the area; Cato Sanden (b. 1954) on guitars, keyboard player Jarle Zimmerman (b. Jarle Fjellanger, 1950) and bass guitarist Johannes Torkelsen (b. 1952). Sanden and Zimmermann shared vocal duties, with Sanden providing the lead vocals on most occasions.
New Day and Wounded Bird

With a line-up with all-experienced and well known musicians, the band was given a record deal nearly instantly, and entered the studio to record their first album, "New Day". Met with high praise it sold fairly by Norwegian standards, selling 50 000 copies during 1974–75, and the band was dubbed "The Norwegian Eagles" by several news outlets.

Following a popular tour to support the album, the band returned to the studio in late 1975 to record their second, and best known album, "Wounded Bird", released in 1976 to rave reviews and impressive sales, reaching No. 12 on the Norwegian album charts.

Flyvende NordmennWhilst writing and recording their own material in 1975, the band was asked by their fellow musician and friend, Teddy Nelson, to be his supporting band for his debut album, Diggy Liggy. For this the band recruited another friend, steel guitarist Egil Skjelnes, to give the band the needed sound. In order to keep their own studio career as a separate venture, they translated their name to Norwegian; recording under the name "Flyvende Nordmenn". This alternative line-up remained with Nelson for his first four albums (except Walle and Torkelsen, who only appeared on the first album). Three of these were in Norwegian, while the fourth was a venture into English country-rock songs, released under the name "Teddy Nelson and the Flying Norwegians". The album, entitled Point of Departure, is today considered part of both artists main catalogue.

Changes and final albums
 In the spring of 1976 the band resumed touring while not in the studio, a tour which included a brief stint as opening act for the Ozark Mountain Daredevils during their 1976 spring tour of Scandinavia.

A few weeks later, in June 1976, Rune Walle was contacted with the offer to replace Randle Chowning as guitarist in Ozark Mountain Daredevils, following the latters abrupt departure. Walle had impressed the other members of the band during Flying Norwegians shows as opening act, and they requested that he join them for the US leg of their 1976 tour. He accepted the offer, and played his first show with the group at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on July 23, 1976 on a bill that also included The Beach Boys, The Doobie Brothers, Jeff Beck and Firefall. This did, however, mean that touring and recording was put on halt for Flying Norwegians. On January 10, 1977, four of the five original members reunited for a farewell concert in their hometown of Bergen; a concert which was recorded and released soon after. Bass guitarist Torkelsen had departed when Walle left for the US, and was replaced with Jan Ove Hommel for the show.

Following a one-year break, Sanden reformed the band in 1978, with Egil Skjelnes (steel guitar), Ronald Jensen (bass) and Jan Ove Hommel (guitars) joining Sanden, Zimmerman and Bergstrøm to form a full line-up. This version was however short-lived, recording the album This Time Around to mixed reviews in 1979, and a brief tour.

In 1981, in an attempt to break into mainstream music once again, the band began recording their fourth studio album, Du står i veien (Nor. You're in my way), with new-wave inspired rock songs in Norwegian. This upset Sanden, who was a country- and rock musician at heart, and he left the band just as work began. Skjelnes, Hommel and Jensen all left with him, and studio musicians Bjørn Tore Aasheim (guitars) and Atle Mjørhaug (bass) were recruited to finish the album, with Zimmerman taking over lead vocals. The album was a disaster, met with poor sales and reviews, and the group soon disbanded.(excerpt by WikiVisually.com)

 The band sounded (except the language probably) like a real american country rock band. The music of this two albums is country rock and west coast rock inspired by the back then commercial successful bands.The band played on a musically competent high level and did not need to hide from their US role models in this respect. Some of the songs are a little too 'sweet' for my taste but a lot stuff is real great. Give it a try.(Frank)

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Power Pop; Doug Powell ‎– The Lost Chord (2002 Parasol)

Doug Powell is a protégé of Todd Rundgren, and his fourth solo album, 2002's The Lost Chord, sounds like his version of over-the-top '70s epics like A Wizard, a True Star. Much more ornate than his earlier records, The Lost Chord is so top-heavy with tape effects, excessive instrumentation, and overdubbed vocals that the whole thing threatens to topple at any second. That it doesn't is testament to Powell's gift for meaty melodies and quirky lyrics; only a chorus as memorable as that of the pounding "Queen of Hurts" could withstand the onslaught of over-driven guitar amps, Gary Glitter drums, and extraneous noises Powell throws at it. Then there's the title track, a sensitive piano ballad with noise-guitar backing that sounds like Eric Carmen dueting with Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo. The whole thing is more than a little odd -- especially on the two-part "Nietzsche Is Dead," a play on the old philosophy school joke that sounds like one of Ian Whitcomb's music hall ditties -- but The Lost Chord has considerably more charm and personality than any of Powell's more pedestrian earlier efforts. Four albums in, Doug Powell has finally found his niche.(Stewart Mason, allmusic.com)

Beatles, Rundgren, Mercury...yes also Freddie Mercury comes to my mind with this album. With some songs the thought comes to mind, how would the song have sounded with the singer who died untimely. Anyway, you should listen to this album if you like intelligent pop music that is also fun. Enjoy.(Frank)

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El Goodo - By Order Of The Moose (20017 Strangetown)

The sixties have never been more present than now (except the actual Sixties, that is). Thankfully this is an idealised Sixties, as opposed to the real decade, which was likely to be as full of pop crap as this one. El Goodo are in thrall to the Sixties and are one of a number of bands digging back to the past for structures for their new work.
The songs here make me think of the Small Faces, Sandie Shaw, The Hollies, The Tremeloes, Duane Eddy, The Shandells, The Ronettes, certain Motown bands, even early Beatles (check out Lay It On My Honey”). But also great sixties revivalists like ELO or the Lightning Seeds. These could be cover versions for all I know; the verisimilitude is so strong.

Cian Ciaran from Super Furry Animals likes the band and produced the album from tapes recorded over eight years and released it on his own label. This is the band’s second album and they’ve taken their time in recording this, stacking up time in a disused cinema in their home village of Resolven, at the slightly less run down end of the Head Of The Valleys road running along the top of the ruins of Welsh industry. Clearly a labour of love, the band’s adoration of melody, harmony and beat groups shines bright. They recorded the album on a 16-track machine with a small collection of battered and dodgy equipment.  Elliott Jones, the drummer (his brother, Jason, plays guitar) saw the words “Loyal Order Of Moose” carved into stone on the side of a building in Neath and they agreed on it as the album title. Jason drew the intricate album cover too – it’s a home-grown effort.

They borrow bits from here and there and those better informed than me might manage more than my flicker of recognition. I keep feeling the name of the drum pattern here or the chorus there or the intro somewhere else on the tip of my tongue. But it’s not a bad thing, it grabbed my attention throughout with its super-catchy choruses, riffs and rhythms.

There is plenty of space in the world for well-crafted, beaty pop songs.(vanguard-online.co.uk)

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Finest Westcoast Of The Sixties: Moby Grape - The Very Best Of - Vintage (1967-69) (Columbia, Legacy 1993) 2 CD

It's hard to imagine a better-produced package of Moby Grape's work than this two-disc, 48-track condensation of their best late-'60s recordings. The first disc of this set centers around their entire 1967 self-titled debut LP (included in its entirety), which mixed blues, country, and folk influences with hard-charging psychedelic rock & roll.

The result was one of the Summer of Love's more enduring works. The second disc boils their wildly inconsistent 1968-69 material down to a fairly strong and coherent selection. While it doesn't match the peak of the group's initial burst, it features some strong folk and country-rock originals that wear much better in the absence of the bloated jams and half-baked hard rock that could make their albums a chore to sit through.

Each disc includes interesting demos, outtakes, and live performances that round out the legacy of this prodigiously talented but ill-fated band, which was overcome by internal strife and label/management difficulties after their promising debut.(Richie Unterberger, allmusic.com)

I completely second the review by Mr. Unterberger (and that's not often the case, lol) about this double disc release from one of my favourite westcoast bands of the sixties. Highly recommended. Enjoy.(Frank)

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